Fulham Football Club The 21-year-old then put the Hammers to the sword himself midway through the second half when he converted a fast break with a powerful right foot shot that ...
www.fulhamfc.com/Football_ West_Ham_v_Fulham_501164_7.html

I assume this means to buckle down, but since I'm not a sport enthusiast, and because Hammers is in cap., can I assume it's the name of a team and that the above report is also a pun

You may so assume, Dale. Just out of curiosity, how the heck did this come to your attention?

While "put the Hammers to the sword" seems only to exist in this particular citation (the Hammers would seem to be obviously a reference to the West Ham United Football Club) the expression "put x to the sword" seems to be common enough. Sword would be the instrument dealing out the punishment and not the recipient, an honour which belongs to x.

Ted: I believe I heard it on one of the Law and Order programs

Fal, thank you; so it would seem. However, the expression "put the hammers to" is apparently pretty obscure as it evokes only 8 significant hits

then there's "put the hammer down"...

Quote:

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it evokes only 8 significant hits

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Six of which are references to West Ham United FC and the other two some rap reference.