triple crown

plural triple crowns

1. The three-tiered tiara formerly worn by Popes.

   1997: The last in this series of deaths was that of Pope Eugenius’s successor Anastasius IV, who was succeeded by a man of a very different calibre: Adrian (or Hadrian) IV, the only Englishman ever to wear the Triple Crown. — John Julius Norwich, A Short History of Byzantium (Penguin 1998, p. 281)

2. hobbiesAn award representing victory in three events, especially in horse-racing.

plural Triple Crowns

1. ball gamesThe feat of leading one's league in three key statistical categories—batting average, home runs, and RBI for hitters; wins, strikeouts, and ERA for pitchers
2. golfThe three grandest or oldest open championships of the year
   1. golfThe U.S. Open, British Open, Canadian Open
3. UShobbiesThe three greatest thoroughbred races of the year restricted to three-year-olds: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes
4. UKhobbiesThe three greatest thoroughbred races of the year restricted to three-year-olds: the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, Derby Stakes (aka "Epsom Derby"), and St. Leger Stakes
5. CanadahobbiesThe three greatest thoroughbred races of the year restricted to three-year-olds: the Queen's Plate, Prince of Wales Stakes, and Breeders' Stakes
6. ball gamesVictory by one of the Home Nations — England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales — over the other three in the annual Six Nations Championship.
7. hobbiesVictory by a driver at the three grandest car races in the world, the Indianapolis 500, 24-Hours of Le Mans, Monaco Grand Prix; usually defined as a career achievement and not a season or calendar year achievement