<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (June 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> A hat - trick or hat trick in sports is the achievement of a positive feat three times in a game, or another achievement based on the number three in some sports . </P> <P> The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H.H. Stephenson's taking three wickets with three consecutive deliveries . Fans held a collection for Stephenson, and presented him with a hat bought with the proceeds . The term was used in print for the first time in 1865 . The term was eventually adopted by many other sports including hockey, association football, water polo and team handball . </P> <P> A hat - trick occurs in association football when a player scores three goals (not necessarily consecutive) in a single game, whereas scoring two goals constitutes a brace . In common with other official record - keeping rules, goals in a penalty shootout are excluded from the tally . The extra time in a knockout cup match may also be calculated towards a player's potential hat - trick . The fastest recorded time to score a hat - trick is 70 seconds, a record set by Alex Torr in a Sunday league game in 2013 . The previous record of 90 seconds was held by Tommy Ross playing for Ross County against Nairn County on 28 November 1964 . </P>

Where does the saying hat trick come from