High Fives

Every so often, the world surprises us with little moments of delight, such as learning that the high five was invented by Glenn Burke, the first major league baseball player to come out as gay. According to The Advocate,

“Burke waited on deck for his chance at bat on an October 2, 1977 game against the Houston Astros. Left fielder Dusty Baker just hit his 30th home run, putting them ahead of the Astros and into the playoffs. As his teammate came back from rounding the bases, Burke thrust his hand in the air. Baker felt the instinct to slap palms, and so he did.

[After retiring due to homophobia], Burke found solace while playing in a San Francisco softball league, and dominated the Gay Softball World Series. He became known around the Castro as a neighborhood figure, and in 1982, he came out in Inside Sports magazine, where writer Michael J. Smith called the high five a "defiant symbol of gay pride."”

You can watch a short documentary about his life and career here - we highly recommend it - and honour his memory by high fiving the crap out of every you know.