You may have noticed a little button on your baseball cap. However, unlike clothing buttons, it does not seem to be there to do the job of fastening the garment.
So, is it there for mere decoration? What is the button on the top of a baseball cap called? What is its purpose?
Continue reading to uncover more fascinating facts about this cap button, also known as a “squatcho” or “squatchee.”
Table of Contents
What is Its Name?
The baseball cap origin dated back to 1860 when the Brooklyn Excelsiors utilized a hat with a visor to protect players from blazing sun rays on the field. It gradually became a part of baseball players’ wardrobes, as well as the fashion world.
If you hear someone mention the “squatcho” or “squatchee” on their caps, they are referring to the baseball cap button located on its top, where the hat’s panels meet.
You can look up the squatchee definition in Urban Dictionary to find out that it’s indeed the button’s name.
If you find pronouncing this word tricky, refer to this: https://www.howtopronounce.com/squatchee
Purpose of the Baseball Cap Squatchee
Many suppose this small squatchee button is just there for decoration, and they are partly right. These days, it is indeed added to cover the top part where all the stitching lines of the hat panels meet.
However, that’s not always the case; this button actually used to have its own important function. Check the image above to see the baseball cap parts names, and you can notice a part called the baseball crown.
The top button was used to hold the crown, which included all the panels sown together, in one solid piece.
So, what would happen if the button on top of hat fell off?
Since the button of the baseball cap does not function as a fastening piece as it used to, a ball cap without button on top still works just fine without unbuckling.
Origin of the Name
The hat button has always been a part of the baseball cap, but it has not always been called a squatchee or squacho. How does a button get such a unique name, you ask? Well, like all things, a person called it by the weird name, and the fun thing caught on.
According to the baseball broadcaster Bob Brenly, back when he was a major league catcher at the San Francisco Giants, a teammate named Mike Krukow called the hat button a “squatcho.”
Mike Krukow was talking about how they should remove the “squatcho” to avoid accidents in case they got hit on top of their head, as the button would hurt them badly. Note that this is an important safety measure since baseball catchers did not wear helmets back then.
Krukow later said that he saw “squatcho” as the name of the baseball cap button in a book named “Sniglets” by Rich Hall.
And when Bob Brenly, later as a broadcaster, was interviewed by Paul Lukas about athletic uniforms, he mentioned the “squatcho” as referred to the baseball button.
How to Remove the Button on the Top of Cap?
If you want to have a replacement squatchee or simply want to remove it from the cap, take out a screwdriver or a side cutter.
- Grip your cap’s top to make sure the button pops out a little.
- You can simply cut the button out by clipping the button’s base and revealing its small teeth.
- Then, turn it inside out to take out the rest of the button with the screwdriver.
Conclusion
Now, you got the answer to the question, “what is the button on the top of a baseball cap called?” You can now use the fun name “squatchee” or “squatcho” to refer to this part of your hat. Go spread the word and have fun with it!
Rogers is a hardcore baseball enthusiast. He joined Nations Baseball as a writer to share his knowledge and help others realize their passions for the sport. Roger is striving towards becoming a coach at his local baseball club.
