Sammy “hatter to the stars” Taft The man responsible for hockey’s term “Hat Trick”

Legends I Discovered on My Walks: Sammy Taft

On my walk through Beth Tzedec Memorial Park in Toronto—with hat in hand—I came across the grave of celebrated hatmaker Sammy Taft.

From the 1940s to the mid-1980s, Sammy sold hats to generations of men from his iconic store at 303 Spadina Avenue, just south of College Street. Incredibly, during the height of his success in the 1940s, Taft was selling up to 10,000 hats a year.

But it’s not just the sheer volume of hats that made him famous—it’s the legend behind one of hockey’s most beloved terms.

As the story goes, in January 1946, Chicago Black Hawks left winger Alex Kaleta wandered into Sammy’s shop while in Toronto. He spotted a fedora he liked but couldn’t afford it. Sensing an opportunity, Sammy made him a deal: if Kaleta scored three goals against the Maple Leafs that night, the hat was his. Kaleta went one better and scored four. Later, Sammy claimed he heard the feat referred to as a “hat trick” on the radio—and a piece of sports lingo was born. Some may question the accuracy of the tale, but like all good legends, it’s stuck around because it feels true.

Bill Mosienko receiving a free hat from Sammy Taft after the most famous hat trick of all time. Mosienko scored three goals in 21 seconds. A record that still remains today. 

Beyond folklore, Sammy Taft’s shop was a must-visit for entertainers, athletes, and sharp-dressed men passing through Toronto. His clientele included a dazzling list of names: Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Jack Benny, Jimmy Durante, Jack Dempsey, Henry Mancini, Joe Louis, Duke Ellington, Bob Hope—the who’s who of 20th-century style and stardom. A Taft fedora wasn’t just a hat—it was a statement.

Sammy Taft died in Toronto, on January 1, 1994. He was 81.

”a hat is not a hat ‘til it’s tilted”