It was a match made in heaven.
The Promised Land Brewery in Gilroy has developed a new craft beer called “The Wave,” named after “Krazy” George Henderson and the audience engagement technique that he originated.
Owner and brewer Brian Schwab said a chance meeting with Krazy George led to the new brew.
The iconic cheerleader recalls that encounter with Schwab. “He came up to me at a function in Los Gatos and told me of his idea,” Henderson said at the packed Britannia Arms in Capitola, which hosted a release party for the new beer on Sept. 6. “I thought he was joking. Two days later he called me and already had the label designed. It’s amazing.”
Schwab said it was a blast watching everyone enjoy the beer and interacting with the local celebrity.
“We’re giving praise to an icon,” Schwab said. “This is awesome.”
For more than 50 years, Krazy George Henderson has been the ultimate superfan. His story began in 1968 at San Jose State University. His wild energy and booming drum soon turned him into a legend throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1975, his big break came when Lamar Hunt, owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, brought him in for one game. Henderson was such a hit that he was hired full-time for every home game for the next four years.
But Krazy George didn’t stop there. At an Oakland A’s vs. New York Yankees playoff game on Oct. 15, 1981, he made sports history by inventing The Wave. That simple, brilliant spark of energy circled the stadium that day and went on to entertain fans everywhere.
From the NFL and NHL to the World Cup and countless other events, Henderson has transformed crowds into unstoppable fanatics—whether it’s 25,000 fans in a stadium or corporate crowds at business events. Teams and companies that bring him in once usually bring him back again and again.
After all these years, Henderson remains the world’s most famous cheerleader. His mission is simple: get people on their feet, get them cheering, and keep The Wave rolling strong.
Henderson’s niece, Kendra Bonham, made the trip to Capitola from Oroville with seven other friends and family.
“This is an honor, it really is,” she said. “To have my uncle honored like this is incredible. He deserves it.”
