HARRY TRUMAN 8 BALL POPULAR POLITICAL PIN BUTTON. Harry Truman was behind the 8 ball in 1948 - He was seen as an almost sure loser to Tom Dewey, but his dramatic campaign led to a political upset of legendary proportions. The 8 Ball became a Truman symbol (and an interesting side note is that Truman was born on May 8, 1884 - it seems like 8 was a lucky number for him). Original.