What do you call a sport where the participants wear fancy dress and use props to play hockey? It’s called a “hat trick” hockey, and it was first introduced in Canada in 1967. Since then, it’s been played at various Winter Olympics and now has been added to the Summer and Winter versions of the MLS. It has been gaining popularity as a part of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, where users can share their unique takes on this exciting game. As a former hockey player myself, I used to play this game a lot in the 70s and 80s, and now that I’m older, I look back and think it was a pretty fun time. Here’s a short history of this fun sport!
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Origins Of The Hat Trick
The original idea for the hat trick came from New York City in the 1940s, where it was used as a form of theatre. The performance would begin with the actors putting on their fancy dress, followed by gloves, scarves and then the actual hockey gear. The audience would usually go wild, as they were not used to seeing such glamorous costumes and elaborate sets on stage. The 1940s was also the time when the Hollywood stars started to get into the game, with some famous faces such as John Wayne and Humphrey Bogart appearing in commercials and movie roles that inspired the fashion world. It was during this time that the first hockey cards were released, featuring photos of Hollywood stars in action on the ice. In the 1950s, the hat trick became popular among both children and adults as a way of adding some glamour to an otherwise dull sport. Children would ask for a “trick” when they wanted to play, so it became known as a “trick” hockey.
The Evolution Of The Hat Trick
The hat trick eventually made its way to Canada, where the winter sport of hockey was very popular at the time. The game wasn’t just about putting the puck in the net, but was instead used as a way of dramatizing a story, like in this classic film noir, Kiss Me, Deadly. This is how the game is sometimes referred to as “black-collar hockey”, as it was originally played by executives, lawyers and other professionals in their offices, who were often the ones wearing the fancy dress and playing with props.
In the 1960s and 70s, as the name implies, people started to use hats more and more as a way of adding an element of showmanship to their gameplay. This meant the props used in the game started to change as well. At first it was simply a matter of adding a few more embellishments to the outfit, like a feather boa for a woman or a red and white checkered suit for a man, but over the years it became an entire character, with some people creating extravagant looks that mimicked real-life theatrical productions. The props also started to reflect the era the game was created in. It was during this time that fibreglass hockey sticks, orange hockey pucks, vinyl records and even a trombone made their way into the game. In the 1990s, the world of video games came into its own, with players often using controllers instead of hands to play. It was also during this time that the hat trick morphed into a full dance routine, where the players would circle, spin and throw their hats around as they skated around the rink. These days, the game is more focused on skill than theatrics, with people simply wanting to have some fun as they watch the skilled players navigate the puck around the ice.
The Future Of The Hat Trick
The hat trick is still played today and has become an official sport at the Olympic Games, both in Summer and Winter. As the game evolved to become more about skill and less about glamour, so did the props used in the game. Gone are the days where people wore crazy outfits and used random objects as skates and sticks. Nowadays, all you need is a hockey stick and a puck, along with the ability to shoot pucks and spin around a little.
The hat trick has gone through many changes over the years, but it has always remained fun to watch and part of popular culture. It’s time to play some hockey!