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3 unusual facts about Wilbur Huckle


Wilbur Huckle

According to journalist Keith Olbermann, photographer Steve Moore recalls that Huckle actually received a callup to the Mets in 1963, on the same day as Cleon Jones, but was optioned out without ever appearing in a game.

Wilbur's reputation — presumably developed from spring training dispatches and broadcasts, and augmented by the assonance of his name — was such that fans began appearing at Shea Stadium, during the building's inaugural season of 1964, wearing "Wilbur Huckle for President" pins.

By 1967, Wilbur was still in the team's system, becoming the first professional roommate of Tom Seaver, generally thought of as the greatest player in Mets history, during Seaver's first pro season in Jacksonville, Florida.



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