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Like figuring out who coined the phrase "to coin a phrase," pinpointing exactly when "the wave" took its first spin around a stadium isn't easy. Many glory hounds have claimed the love-it-or-hate-it phenomenon as their own. As for when the wave first went global, that's easy -- the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Referred to as "The Mexican Wave" or "La Ola" by broadcasters, it received mucho airtime, and no doubt soaked into the subconscious of those who watched the summer's "Maradona
Show." It didn't take long for the wave to begin circling all sorts of sporting events. Now for the hard part -- who did it first? Amid the masses, there are two main contenders for the distinction. One is a fella named "Krazy" George Henderson who allegedly started the first wave at an Oakland A's baseball game in October of 1981. A conflicting theory states the wave was first done at a Washington Huskies football game in '81 by TV personality Robb Weller and marching band director Bill Bissell. This message board from the Guardian offers several other theories. Needless to say, more than a few claim they were the
first to ride the wave's crest. For those more interested in the "how" as opposed to the "who," this site's scientific approach to the participatory phenomenon will get you on your feet.
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