Wilbur Huckle
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Wilbur Huckle is a former prospect for the New York Mets, who achieved "fan favorite" status, despite never actually making the team. 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 roommate of Tom Seaver, generally thought of as the greatest player in Mets history, during his first pro season in Jacksonville, FL. Seaver's memories suggest that Huckle was somewhat flakey:
My first year in professional baseball, I roomed with a fellow named Wilbur Huckle, who played the infield for Jacksonville. We had a rather unusual relationship. I never saw Wilbur Huckle in our room — at least not awake.
I never talked with him. I never heard him. I never ate a meal with him. When I came in at night, early or late, he was either out or asleep. And when I got up in the morning, he was always gone. He got up early and went on long walks by himself.[1]
Huckle's prowess as a roommate is matched only by his reputation as a teammate:
Lots of guys tried, but nobody ever beat Wilbur Huckle getting into street clothes after a game... . Once, I heard, when Wilbur was playing in a lower minor league, his team was on a losing streak, and when they lost their sixth or seventh in a row, the manager started screaming at his players as they entered the clubhouse. "Sit down on the benches," he hollered. "This has gone too damn far. Just sit down and think about your mistakes. Think about your errors. Nobody's taking a shower until I say so." The manager was facing the whole team, scowling and storming, and right behind him stood Wilbur Huckle, fresh out of the shower, toweling himself dry.[2]
As far as appearance and position, one blogger remembers him this way:
Wilbur was a Mets farmhand in the '60's, a shortstop who also played some third base. There was really nothing special about him except for his name and the fact that he looked exactly the way you might expect someone named Wilbur Huckle to look, with red hair and a million freckles.[3]
After his playing career ended, Huckle went on to manage the Batavia, NY Trojans for three seasons during their period as a Mets affiliate.
[edit] References
- ^ Seaver, Tom, and Dick Schaap. The Perfect Game. Bantam Books (New York), 1970.
- ^ Ibid.
- ^ http://metscentric.blogspot.com/2006/08/old-time-mets-would-you-believe-wilbur.html
