Jim Walewander
Encyclopedia
James Walewander was a Major League Baseball
infielder. He is an alumnus of Iowa State University
. Drafted by the Detroit Tigers
in the 9th round of the 1983 MLB amateur draft, Walewander was notoriously a fan of the satirical Philadelphia punk band The Dead Milkmen
, endearing himself to Tiger faithful. The punk rockers were even in the ballpark when Walewander hit his only major-league home run.
Walewander even had a "theme song" written about him called "The Jim Walewander Blues". The song was written by a local Detroit fan named eastside billee (aka billee) who recorded it with his band "The Ten Speeds". The song got radio airplay in the Lakeland, Florida
area during spring training one year. Ernie Harwell
even gave a Detroit newspaper review of the song in an article written by Shelby Strothers. The song, and its lyrics, were also mentioned in a Sports Illustrated
article regarding Walewander.
Walewander's rise through the minors
was delayed by the presence of Alan Trammell
and Lou Whitaker, but he was finally summoned to Detroit on May 31, 1987, going 1 for 2 against the Minnesota Twins
. Walewander primarily appeared as a defensive substitute or pinch-runner in the late innings. He was a key figure as the Tigers battled the Toronto Blue Jays
for the division crown. In the 12th inning of the season's penultimate game against Toronto, pinch-hitter Walewander scooted home with the game-winning run after Detroit shortstop Alan Trammell
drilled a game-winning single through Toronto shortstop Manuel Lee
's legs. Frank Tanana
pitched a 1-0 shutout the next day, handing Detroit the division title. Walewander was not on the playoff roster, and Minnesota defeated Tigers in the ALCS
.
Being a big-leaguer had its perks. Walewander once met a girl in a local bar and invited her to Tiger Stadium to see him work. The young lady arrived at the ballpark and was stunned to see Walewander playing second base. "She thought I was a peanut vendor or something," Walewander said.
He played one more year with the Tigers before his release. He played with the New York Yankees
and then in Italy before his last game, in a California Angels uniform in 1993.
For his career, Walewander played in exactly 162 games (a full baseball season), batting .215 with a home run and 14 RBI in 242 at-bats. Walewander's 24 runs scored on only 13 hits during the 1987 season represents the all time record for the highest 'runs to hits' ratio (1.846) for a major league season for players with 10 or more hits.
Jim Walewander was mentioned on a 2011 episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
infielder. He is an alumnus of Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
. Drafted by the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in the 9th round of the 1983 MLB amateur draft, Walewander was notoriously a fan of the satirical Philadelphia punk band The Dead Milkmen
Dead Milkmen
The Dead Milkmen is an American satirical punk rock band formed in 1983 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They consisted of vocalist and keyboardist Rodney Linderman , guitarist and vocalist Joe Genaro , bassist Dave Schulthise and drummer Dean Sabatino .Beginning within the local underground...
, endearing himself to Tiger faithful. The punk rockers were even in the ballpark when Walewander hit his only major-league home run.
Walewander even had a "theme song" written about him called "The Jim Walewander Blues". The song was written by a local Detroit fan named eastside billee (aka billee) who recorded it with his band "The Ten Speeds". The song got radio airplay in the Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
area during spring training one year. Ernie Harwell
Ernie Harwell
William Earnest "Ernie" Harwell was an American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 years, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell called the action on radio and/or television...
even gave a Detroit newspaper review of the song in an article written by Shelby Strothers. The song, and its lyrics, were also mentioned in a Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
article regarding Walewander.
Walewander's rise through the minors
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
was delayed by the presence of Alan Trammell
Alan Trammell
Alan Stuart Trammell is a retired American baseball shortstop of the Detroit Tigers from to . Trammell, nicknamed "Tram", played his entire career with the Tigers, highlighted by a World Series championship in and an American League East division championship in . Although his arm was not...
and Lou Whitaker, but he was finally summoned to Detroit on May 31, 1987, going 1 for 2 against the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. Walewander primarily appeared as a defensive substitute or pinch-runner in the late innings. He was a key figure as the Tigers battled the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
for the division crown. In the 12th inning of the season's penultimate game against Toronto, pinch-hitter Walewander scooted home with the game-winning run after Detroit shortstop Alan Trammell
Alan Trammell
Alan Stuart Trammell is a retired American baseball shortstop of the Detroit Tigers from to . Trammell, nicknamed "Tram", played his entire career with the Tigers, highlighted by a World Series championship in and an American League East division championship in . Although his arm was not...
drilled a game-winning single through Toronto shortstop Manuel Lee
Manuel Lee
Manuel Lora Lee is a former shortstop and second baseman for Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays , Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals...
's legs. Frank Tanana
Frank Tanana
Frank Daryl Tanana is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He was the California Angels' 1st round draft pick in 1971....
pitched a 1-0 shutout the next day, handing Detroit the division title. Walewander was not on the playoff roster, and Minnesota defeated Tigers in the ALCS
1987 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 7, 1987 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, MinnesotaThe 1987 AL playoffs opened at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, with the Tigers throwing Doyle Alexander against the Twins' Frank Viola. In the bottom of the second, the Twins opened the scoring when third...
.
Being a big-leaguer had its perks. Walewander once met a girl in a local bar and invited her to Tiger Stadium to see him work. The young lady arrived at the ballpark and was stunned to see Walewander playing second base. "She thought I was a peanut vendor or something," Walewander said.
He played one more year with the Tigers before his release. He played with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and then in Italy before his last game, in a California Angels uniform in 1993.
For his career, Walewander played in exactly 162 games (a full baseball season), batting .215 with a home run and 14 RBI in 242 at-bats. Walewander's 24 runs scored on only 13 hits during the 1987 season represents the all time record for the highest 'runs to hits' ratio (1.846) for a major league season for players with 10 or more hits.
Jim Walewander was mentioned on a 2011 episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
.