So first of all, what is a hat trick? Easy, when a player scores 3 goals in one game. When this happens, fans throw their hats on to the ice and everyone cheers. Awesome.
The actual phrase "hat trick" came from cricket in the 1800s. Apparently it's really, really rare to do this and a really big deal if someone does. I know NOTHING about cricket so I have no idea what all these cricket terms mean so I'm not even going to fake it like I know what I'm talking about here.
There are a lot different versions of why it was called a hat trick and there isn't really definitive evidence of any of them so these are the two most popular ones that I found:
- When the cricket player acheived a hat trick, he would pass around his hat and others would give him money. Sounds like a great plan to me.
- The club that owned the team would give the player a hat as a reward for his outstanding performance. Free stuff is always cool.
There are three stories that come up again and again and take some credit for popularizing the hat trick in hockey. The first of these originates in Toronto. In 1946, Alex Kaleta, a player for the Blackhawks, went shopping and wanted to buy a hat but did not have enough money. The hat store owner made a deal with Kaleta that if he scored three goals that night, he could have the hat for free. On January 26, 1946, Alex Kaleta scored four goals against the Toronto Maple Leafs and the next morning, he collected his free hat.
Garnet Exelby loves his hats. Almost too much. Almost.
There are a lot different versions of why it was called a hat trick and there isn't really definitive evidence of any of them so these are the two most popular ones that I found:
- When the cricket player acheived a hat trick, he would pass around his hat and others would give him money. Sounds like a great plan to me.
- The club that owned the team would give the player a hat as a reward for his outstanding performance. Free stuff is always cool.
There are three stories that come up again and again and take some credit for popularizing the hat trick in hockey. The first of these originates in Toronto. In 1946, Alex Kaleta, a player for the Blackhawks, went shopping and wanted to buy a hat but did not have enough money. The hat store owner made a deal with Kaleta that if he scored three goals that night, he could have the hat for free. On January 26, 1946, Alex Kaleta scored four goals against the Toronto Maple Leafs and the next morning, he collected his free hat.
Garnet Exelby loves his hats. Almost too much. Almost.
A competing story states that the 1950s, the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters, a farm team of the New York Rangers, started giving out hats to players who scored three goals in a game. The team was owned by Biltmore Hats, a famous hat company, so it would make sense to give those out.
A third popular story says that the tradition originated in Montreal in the 1950s, from the Henri Henri hat store. The store would give out free hats to players after they scored three or more goal at the Montreal Forum.
The modern practice of fans throwing hats on the ice started in the 1970s, just as the trend of hat stores giving out free hats to players was dying out. It's one tradition that extends to all levels of hockey in North America, from the NHL down to parents buying hats for their mini-mite kids.
There are multiple Ovechkin hat tricks I could've chosen but I specifically picked this one. I wonder why.
A third popular story says that the tradition originated in Montreal in the 1950s, from the Henri Henri hat store. The store would give out free hats to players after they scored three or more goal at the Montreal Forum.
The modern practice of fans throwing hats on the ice started in the 1970s, just as the trend of hat stores giving out free hats to players was dying out. It's one tradition that extends to all levels of hockey in North America, from the NHL down to parents buying hats for their mini-mite kids.
There are multiple Ovechkin hat tricks I could've chosen but I specifically picked this one. I wonder why.
The next logical questions is "What happens to all the hats?" and for that, I leave you with this. Go here and read this real quick and then you'll know.
Bonus: I can watch youtube videos of Ovechkin for hours and hours but this is always one of my favorites. Seriously, I love him like whoa.
Bonus: I can watch youtube videos of Ovechkin for hours and hours but this is always one of my favorites. Seriously, I love him like whoa.
Now I definately feel more informed!
ReplyDeleteP.S. what a dumbass for complaining about the hats being thrown on the ice!
ReplyDeleteOvechkin's celebrations are indeed so intense, fans from the crowd do chest bumps on the other side of the glass. I find that hilarious and awesome all at once.
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