Jim Walewander

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James Walewander (born May 2, 1962, in Chicago, Illinois) 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 flaky and a fan of the Dead Milkmen, endearing himself to Tiger faithful.

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 one late September game, with a Tiger loss meaning elimination from the division race, pinch-hitter Walewander scooted home with the game-winning run after Toronto shortstop Manuel Lee made an error. 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.

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.

[edit] External links

• Jim Walewander at Baseball Reference.com
• Jim Walewander and the Disaster of '87
• The Dead Milkmen and Jim Walewander