Walewander had his own quirky style that endeared him to the fans of Detroit, who felt compelled to start The Jimmy Walewander Fan Club. His behavior was often interpreted as unconventional. He played 18 holes of golf wearing combat boots, but that was because he left his spikes at home. He used tin foil as curtains to cover the window in his Minor League apartment, because that was the only thing that kept sun out. When asked how he found Mark Langston, one of the first pitchers Walewander faced in the Major Leagues, Walewander responded, "I walked from the on-deck circle to the batter\'s box and there he was on the mound." Walewander was also a fan of the Philadelphia punk band The Dead Milkmen. The punk rockers were guests in the dugout when Walewander hit his only major-league home run.\n', '

A local Tigers fan, named "Eastside Billee" aka William Speelman, wrote a "theme song" for Walewander, called "The Jim Walewander Blues", and recorded it with his band The Ten Speeds. The song got radio airplay in the Lakeland, Florida area during spring training one year. Broadcaster Ernie Harwell even gave a Detroit newspaper review of the song in an article written by Shelby Strother. The song, and its lyrics, were also mentioned in a Sports Illustrated article regarding Walewander.\n', '

Walewander\'s rise through the minors was delayed by the presence of double-play duo Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker. "Wales" 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.\n', '

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