Huckle for President

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Wilbur Huckle was a minor league baseball prospect for the New York Mets in the 1960's. Despite never making it onto the major league roster, Huckle attracted a following. Fans began appearing at Shea Stadium in 1964, the building's inaugural season, wearing "Huckle for President" pins. Huckle was known for his red hair and freckles, and went on to manage the Batavia Trojans in the New York-Penn league for three seasons after his playing career was over. The slogan "Extremism in Defense of the Mets is No Vice" was a twist on a quote from 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater's nomination acceptance speech, where he said, "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice."