What Is A Hat Trick In Baseball?

A hat trick in baseball is when a pitcher strikes out three batters in a row.

Definition of a hat trick

A hat trick in baseball is the rare feat of a player hitting three home runs in a single game. A more common (albeit still quite rare) feat is a player hitting two home runs in a game, often called a “brace” or a “tater.” Less commonly, a player may hit four home runs in a game, which is known as a “home run cycle.”

Examples of a hat trick

A hat trick is defined as three achievements by the same player in the same game. The origins of the term are uncertain, but it is most likely derived from cricket. In cricket, a bowler who takes three wickets in three consecutive deliveries is said to have taken a hat trick.

In baseball, a pitcher who strikes out three batters in a row is said to have thrown a hat trick. A position player who hits three home runs in a game is also said to have hit a hat trick. A more rare feat is when a player stealing three bases in one game. This is typically only accomplished by the game’s best base-stealers.

The history of the hat trick

The origins of the baseball hat trick are unknown, but the term was first used in print in 1858, when it was used to describe a feat by player Jim Creighton. In Creighton’s case, he hit three home runs in three consecutive at-bats. Since then, the feat has been accomplished numerous times, but it remains a relatively rare occurrence in baseball.

The most recent hat trick in Major League Baseball occurred on September 7, 2017, when Houston Astros rookie outfielder Derek Fisher hit three home runs in three at-bats against the Los Angeles Angels. This was just the seventh time in MLB history that a player had hit three home runs in a game, and the first time since Carlos Beltran accomplished the feat in 2006.

In order for a player to officially record a hat trick in baseball, he must do so in one of two ways:

1) Hit three home runs in one game
2) Hit three consecutive batters with pitches (this is also sometimes referred to as a “immaculate inning”)

While hitting three home runs in a game is by far the more common way to record a hat trick, there have been some notable cases of pitchers accomplishing the feat. The most recent example came on August 8, 2015, when Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole hit three batters with pitches in one inning against the Colorado Rockies.

Interestingly, there is one pitcher who has accomplished both a traditional hat trick (three strikeouts in one inning) and an immaculate inning (three batters hit by pitches). That pitcher is Cincinnati Reds great Johnny Vander Meer, who struck out the side on June 15, 1938 and then hit three batters with pitches on June 24 of that same year. Vander Meer is also notable for being the only pitcher in MLB history to throw two consecutive no-hitters.

How to achieve a hat trick

A hat trick occurs when a player gets three hits in a game. The term was first used in 1858 when sports writer Henry Chadwick used it to describe James Pycroft’s feat of taking three wickets with three consecutive balls.

There are a few different ways that a player can get a hat trick in baseball. The most common is when a batter gets three hits in a row. This can be done by getting a single, double, and triple, or by getting three singles in a row. Another way is if a batter hits a home run and then his team scores two more runs before the end of the inning, giving the batter credit for all three runs scored. Finally, a pitcher can earn a hat trick by striking out three batters in a row.