Hammering Man's Hat To Get The Heave-Ho-Ho-Ho

The Seattle Art Commission insists it'll be hats off for the "Hammering Man."

The commission has hired a contractor who today was expected to use a crane to remove a giant red and white Santa Claus hat that appeared mysteriously yesterday morning on the head of the giant sculpture.

"We appreciate the spirit of the holidays, but we must respect the moral rights of the artist," said Kristina Gonzalez Olson, deputy director of the commission.

After police were alerted yesterday to the sculpture's new chapeau, the commission contacted a spokesman for Hammering Man sculptor Jonathon Borofsky. "He said Mr. Borofsky wants it removed as soon as possible," Olson said.

A group calling itself the Hammering Santa Foundation claimed credit for installing the holiday head-warmer atop the 48-foot sculpture.

"We have designed, constructed and placed the Santa hat on Hammering Santa as carefully as possible with the express intent of contributing to the holiday spirit without damaging or interfering with Hammering Santa in anyway," said a fax sent to the commission.

The fax ended with: "This is our gift to the City of Seattle in the spirit of the holiday season. Don't be the Grinch that stole Christmas. Support Hammering Santa."

A Seattle Police report said a postal worker saw several men and a woman at 4:30 a.m. yesterday, using balloons and ropes to install the hat on the sculpture outside the Seattle Art Museum. When officers arrived, the hat was in place and the installers were gone.

Immediate suspicion focused on the so-called Fabricators of the Attachments, which three years ago added an unauthorized ball-and-chain to the Hammering Man to celebrate Labor Day.

But Virginia Rose, spokeswoman for the group, said, "It's not us. I wish it was. Or it might be a spinoff of the FA."