When athletes congratulate each other, they give the “high five.” A player raises his arm high and his teammates take turns slapping his palm or clasping his hand.
It is believed that the inventor of this novel handshake was Derek Smith. He made it popular in the 1979-1980 season while playing on the University of Louisville basketball team, which won the national collegiate basketball title.
From The Giant Book of More Strange But True Sports Stories by Howard Liss. Illustrations by Joe Mathieu.
https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/page/Mag15historyofthehighfive/who-invented-high-five
As the linked ESPN article shows, there are multiple people who have laid claim to being the originators of the high five.
It’s an interesting article. I wouldn’t have thought the high five was that recent a development, but I guess the low five has been around longer.
I refuse to give any credit to someone who went to the University of Louisville. 😠