Look, It's That Guy Who Invented The Wave! Let's Get Him!

So The Wave turned 25 years old on Sunday, and get this: Someone is actually taking credit for it. We've talked about this before, but George Henderson, aka Krazy George, lays claim to inventing the crowd participation novelty at an Athletics-Yankees playoff game in 1981, when he was Oakland's designated cheerleader. But what is the current status of The Wave? From the San Jose Mercury:

Merrill Melnick, a professor at the State University of New York-Brockport who teaches a course in sport spectating, suggests that some fans may have moved beyond the wave. "I'm wondering if we've become too sophisticated an audience for something like that. There was a time it was reasonably cute and a collective show of support. But maybe not anymore. Maybe we're too advanced."

Yeah, advanced. That must be it.

It's 25, Was Begun By An SJSU Alum, And Is Beloved. Or None Of That [San Jose Mercury News]