Two girls give each other a high five The high five's origin is hotly debated, but it is generally attributed to former Los Angeles Dodgers players Glenn Burke and Dusty Baker. (more) Who Invented the High Five? Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/Who-Invented-the-High-Five Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Don Vaughan Don Vaughan is a freelance writer based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Don Vaughan Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Mar 27, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " When is National High Five Day celebrated? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "National High Five Day is celebrated in the United States on the third Thursday of April." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Who is credited with the invention of the high five? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The high five is generally credited to Los Angeles Dodgers baseball players Dusty Baker and Glenn Burke, who reportedly invented the gesture in 1977." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the story behind the high five? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Dusty Baker slapped Glenn Burkeu2019s upraised palm after hitting his 30th home run of the season, making the Dodgers the first Major League Baseball team to have four players hit 30 home runs each in a single season." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What was Glenn Burkeu2019s role in popularizing the high five? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Glenn Burke is credited with helping popularize the high five, but he faced challenges due to his sexuality, which led to issues with Dodgers management." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Was the story of college basketball player Lamont Sleets inventing the high five true? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "No, the story of Lamont Sleets inventing the high five was proved false. It was made up by the founders of National High Five Day." } } ] } Top Questions When is National High Five Day celebrated? National High Five Day is celebrated in the United States on the third Thursday of April.

　　Who is credited with the invention of the high five? The high five is generally credited to Los Angeles Dodgers baseball players Dusty Baker and Glenn Burke, who reportedly invented the gesture in 1977.

　　What is the story behind the high five? Dusty Baker slapped Glenn Burke’s upraised palm after hitting his 30th home run of the season, making the Dodgers the first Major League Baseball team to have four players hit 30 home runs each in a single season.

　　What was Glenn Burke’s role in popularizing the high five? Glenn Burke is credited with helping popularize the high five, but he faced challenges due to his sexuality, which led to issues with Dodgers management.

　　Was the story of college basketball player Lamont Sleets inventing the high five true? No, the story of Lamont Sleets inventing the high five was proved false. It was made up by the founders of National High Five Day.

　　The high five is one of the most popular and recognizable gestures in the world—second, perhaps, only to the traditional handshake. It is the essence of simplicity—a raised hand, traditionally the right, slapped palm to palm by another—and is often used to celebrate accomplishments or to greet or acknowledge peers. Pet owners have even trained their dogs and cats to high-five. The gesture is so popular that a National High Five Day, established in 2002 at the University of Virginia, is celebrated annually on the third Thursday of April. But who invented the high five, and when? The generally accepted ...(100 of 710 words)

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