Answer to Hat Trick Post. Leaves a little room for debate...
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The tradition is said to have begun among fans in the National Hockey League around the 1950s.
There are several conflicting legends of how the "hat trick" was popularized in professional hockey. Most stories involve hats being awarded to any of the local players who scored three goals in a game.
In a slightly different account, the expression originates not with any member of a team, but with a particular player. According to legend, Chicago Blackhawks forward Alex Kaleta entered the shop of Toronto businessman Sammy Taft to purchase a new hat, but did not have enough money. Taft arranged a deal with Kaleta stipulating that if Kaleta scored three goals as he played the Toronto Maple Leafs that night, Taft would give him a free hat. That night, on 26 January 1946, Kaleta scored four goals against the Maple Leafs and Taft made good on his offer. This is the story accepted as the origin of the phrase in hockey by the Hockey Hall of Fame.