Why do they call scoring three goals a "hat trick"?

Answer 1

Because it's pure magic when a player in your team scores three goals. Has anyone ever done that for the Spiders?

Answer 2

In hockey, A NATURAL hat trick is credited to a player when he (or she) scores 3 goals in 1 period of hockey (as opposed to taking all 3 periods to perform the same feat).

The "HAT" trick is called such due to local hat makers sponsoring local teams. If a young "gentleman" was to score a hat-trick, they would receive an expensive felt top-hat. Some claim this began in New York, Others claim it originally happened in Ontario... you pick :)

Soccer and cricket also have "hat tricks" as well, and the history is related, though the scoring and time-allowed is obviously different.

After local hat makers ceased their sponsorship fans insisted on the players receiving hats for a hat-trick and would reward such all-stars by throwing their own hats onto the ice as donations.

This tradition is still followed in Major-Minor league (aka WHL/CHL) and Major League (NHL) hockey, though the standing "ediquitte" for players who receive more than 1 hat "donation" is to look over the ones collected, select one, and donate the rest to a local charity.

Answer 3

In the Victorian era, the term "hat trick" referred to a common trick by magicians, where the magician used a top hat. At first, they would appear before the audience wearing the hat, which they would remove and put upside down on a nearby table (on stage). Later in the show, the magician would take out 3 rabbits, one after another, from the hat.

Answer 4

In the olden days,
when prostitutes were first invented,
they needed a visual system
for co-workers to easily see who was
getting a little behind on the job.
Once one had scored three tricks on shift
they placed a hat on their head to notify the others
that they maybe falling down on the job,
hooking a 'get down' to it attitude in the workplace.
Once one had two hats piled on
they were known to be getting a head on others.
When one had three hats,
creating an illusion of extra height,
thus the saying HAT TRICK first came about,
they were then called tall girls,
later shortend to call girls
and given a proper break,
allowed to hit the mattress for a while
or given the freedom to walk the streets at night.

Answer 5

Hat Trick?
I'm not sure, probably to do with some ancient word? :-s

Answer 6

i can't add anything to i forget's excellent summation of the issue.

Answer 7

this is why
sorry cant write all that out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hat_trick