the Straw Hat Riot began in New York. Back in those days, it was acceptable for men to wear straw hats in summer, but not past Sept. 15. If you saw a friend wearing a straw hat after Sept. 15, local custom called for you to smash the hat. You did not, however, smash the hat of a stranger. That changed on Sept. 13, 1922, when a group of youths armed with sticks decided to start smashing the hats of strangers – two days ahead of schedule. It quickly turned into a brawl that lasted eight days and resulted in many injuries and arrests.
NCPA
