Definition

Noun: 1. (Baseball): An unofficial honor achieved by a batter who leads their league in three major offensive categories: batting average, runs batted in (RBI), and home runs within a single season. 2. (Horse Racing): The championship title awarded to a three-year-old Thoroughbred horse that wins three specific, prestigious American races in the same year: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.

Usage Examples

• Baseball context:
  • Winning the triple crown is one of the rarest and most celebrated accomplishments in baseball.
  • The last player to achieve the triple crown in the American League was Miguel Cabrera in 2012.
• Horse racing context:
  • Secretariat's victory in the 1973 Triple Crown is considered one of the greatest feats in sports history.
  • Only a handful of horses have ever won the Triple Crown.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often capitalized as Triple Crown when referring specifically to the horse racing achievement, treating it as a proper noun for the series of races.
• In extended metaphorical use, "triple crown" can describe achieving first place in three major, related events or categories in any field (e.g., "She won the triple crown of science fairs by taking top prize at the regional, state, and national competitions").

Variants and Related Words

• Triple Crown winner (n): The individual (batter) or horse that has achieved the triple crown.
• Triple Crown races (n): Refers collectively to the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.
• Triple Crown season (n): The period during which the three horse races are held.

Synonyms

• Baseball: Triple batting crown (a more specific variant).
• Horse Racing: The Crown (used informally within the sport).

Related Phrases

• To sweep the Triple Crown: To win all three horse races.
• To chase the Triple Crown: To be in contention to win all three races, often used as a horse wins the first one or two legs.
• Triple Crown threat: A batter who is leading or near the top in all three statistical categories.

Noun

1. (baseball) an unofficial title won by a batter who leads the league in hitting average, runs batted in, and home runs
2. (horse racing) a title won by a horse that can win the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness