Where Do Those Hat Trick Hats Go?

By Benjy Lipsman in Miscellaneous on May 14, 2009 2:40PM

With the sudden rise in the popularity of hockey in town, it's only natural that some of the newbie 'Hawks fans have some questions about the sport. For example, "What's a hat trick?" or "Why did everybody just throw their caps on the ice?" And while the lifelong Blackhawks fan next to them will roll their eyes and explain the three-goal feat and its rarity, that die-hard 'Hawks fan may not have the answer to the next question, "What happens to all those hats afterward?"

We've always wondered if people specifically wore a cap they didn't mind parting ways with, or if they carried in a second one specifically for tossing, in case of a home town hat trick because we assumed that once thrown they were long gone. Today, the Trib has the answer. The dozens of hats tossed on the ice end up in the lost-and-found. Those that do not get claimed get thrown out.

But that just opens up so many more questions. While it's reassuring to know that it'll end up in a bin with the rest of the stuff lost at the game, will it make it in time to reclaim that same night? And if not, just how long does one have to reclaim his Blackhawks cap or Schlitz truckers hat before it gets thrown out? We also wonder if there isn't some better means of disposal than simply adding to our overflowing landfills. A Blackhawks spokesman did say that the team plans to revisit how to dispose of hats next season. So... will they donate them to local charities? Or will they find some way to sell them as game-used merchandise? Either way, we smell a chance for the team to raise a little cash.