Ya know? I still don't know what that means. Can ya fill me in?
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In baseball, a golden sombrero is a player's inglorious feat of striking out four times in a single game.
Origin of the term
The term derives from hat trick, and since four is bigger than three, the rationale was that a four-strikeout performance should be referred to by a bigger hat, such as a sombrero.[1] The "Olympic Rings" or platinum sombrero applies to a player striking out five times in a game,[2] while a horn (after Sam Horn of the Baltimore Orioles, who accomplished the feat in an extra-inning game in 1991)[3] or titanium sombrero is bestowed upon a player who strikes out six times in a single game.[4]
The term was coined by San Diego Padre Carmelo Martinez in the 1980s.[citation needed] and first appeared in print when Leon Durham was quoted as using it in 1984.[5] The term "Horn" for a six-strikeout game was coined by Orioles pitcher Mike Flanagan in the immediate aftermath of Horn's game.[6]
History
Striking out five times in a game has been achieved 66 times, most recently achieved by Brandon Belt on July 8, 2013.[7] Sammy Sosa and Ray Lankford are the only players to hit for a platinum sombrero more than twice.[3] Only eight players have had six strikeouts, listed below.[3] All eight players who accomplished a "Horn" needed extra innings to do it; the record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game is five.[8]
On August 4, 2009, Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria went 2 for 6, recording a golden sombrero and 2 home runs. The second home run was a walk off home run. This feat was reproduced by Brandon Moss of the Oakland Athletics on April 30, 2013 in a 19-inning game against the Los Angeles Angels.[9] They are the only players to record four strikeouts and two home runs (the second a walk-off) in a single game in the live-ball era.
On May 6, 2012, Orioles third baseman Chris Davis had zero hits in eight at-bats as the designated hitter in 17 innings. His five strikeouts awarded him the rare platinum sombrero. In a bizarre twist, he also recorded the win in that game when called in to pitch two innings of relief, making him the first positional player from the AL to record a win since 1968.
On May 6, 2013, B.J. Upton struck out four times in his first four at bats, recording a golden sombrero by the end of the 6th inning.
On June 5, 2013, Seattle Mariners catcher Kelly Shoppach became the first player ever to strike out five times and record two hits. The Mariners lost to the Chicago White Sox in 16 innings.
The record for strikeouts in a game in all of professional baseball belongs to Russ Laribee of the minor league Pawtucket Red Sox, who in 1981 struck out seven times in a thirty-three inning baseball game.[10]
[credit: Wikipedia]
