The 1989 Topps baseball card #272 features Detroit Tigers second baseman Denny Walling. While Walling never achieved mainstream success in Major League Baseball, card #272 provides a interesting snapshot into his career and path to the big leagues.
Denny Walling was born in 1960 in Glendora, California. He grew up as a lifelong Dodgers fan in Southern California. Walling began playing baseball at a young age and excelled through high school at Glendora High. Despite his talents however, Walling was undersized at just 5’9″ and didn’t receive many looks from major college programs. He ultimately walked on to the team at Azusa Pacific University, a small NAIA school near Los Angeles.
At Azusa Pacific, Walling continued to impress with his speed, plate discipline, and defensive skills at second base. In his senior season of 1982, he batted .373 with 38 walks to just 15 strikeouts. His outstanding play finally garnered him attention from MLB scouts. In the 11th round of the 1982 MLB Draft, the Detroit Tigers selected Walling with the hope his skills could translate to professional baseball.
Walling began his pro career that year in the low A South Atlantic League with the Bristol Tigers. He struggled initially adjusting to pro pitching, batting just .221 through the first half of the season. However, Walling worked hard on his swing mechanics over the All-Star break and caught fire after, batting .358 over the season’s final two months. He flashed plus defense at second base all season as well. Walling’s strong finish opened eyes in the Tigers organization and signaled he may have what it takes to reach the majors after all.
Over the next few seasons, Walling continued progressing up Detroit’s farm system. He batted over .300 at every minor league stop including AA Birmingham and AAA Erie. Walling consistently showed elite plate discipline, never striking out more than 35 times in a full season. He also continued shining with the glove, committing few errors thanks to soft hands and elite agility around the bag. By 1987, Walling had reached AAA and was knocking on the door of a shot in Detroit.
That opportunity finally came in August of 1987. The Tigers called up Walling for his first taste of the majors at age 27. In 39 games down the stretch, he hit .275 in a reserve role backing up veteran Sweet Lou Whitaker at second base. Walling proved he was capable of handling big league pitching and showed off his slick defense. The Tigers remained committed to Whitaker as their everyday second baseman heading into 1988.
In 1988, Walling began the year back in AAA Erie. But an injury to Whitaker in June opened up an extended chance for Walling in Detroit. Over 67 games for the rest of the season, he seized the opportunity by batting .301 with 27 runs scored. Walling flashed the all-around skills that made him a viable everyday option at the big league level. With Whitaker set to become a free agent after 1988, Walling appeared to have a real shot at claiming the Tigers starting second base job in 1989.
Heading into spring training in ’89, Walling was once again competing for playing time alongside versatile infielder Tom Brookens. But this time, Walling entered as the presumed frontrunner after his breakout performance the prior season. He did nothing to lose that edge in Florida, continuing to hit over .300 in exhibition games. Walling made the Tigers opening day roster as their primary second baseman thanks to his consistency and quality defense.
Which brings us to Walling’s lone Topps issue, the 1989 card #272. The black and white photo captures Walling in a batting stance, toe tapping as he sizes up a pitcher. In the background, the faint script of “Detroit Tigers” can be seen on his jersey. The card provides a high level overview of Walling’s career statistics to date as well as his birthday and other identifying information. It commemorates Walling reaching the pinnacle of any baseball player’s dream – becoming an everyday big leaguer.
Sadly for Walling, injuries would prevent him from enjoying an extended run as the Tigers starter in 1989 as hoped. He played in just 60 games, batting .261 before season-ending back surgery in July. With Walling sidelined, the hot-hitting Brookens took over as Detroit’s second baseman down the stretch. In 1990, a healthy Walling again had to fight for playing time and hit just .223 in 39 games. He bounced between Detroit and the minors over the next two seasons, never regaining his form.
After appearing in his final MLB game on June 15, 1992, the Tigers released Walling in August. He signed a minor league deal with the expansion Colorado Rockies for 1993 but failed to make their roster. At age 33, Walling decided to retire from professional baseball having given it over a decade of dedicated service. In parts of five seasons in Detroit, he hit .260 in 276 games showcasing his skillset when healthy.
Since retiring, Walling has settled in Southern California and still attends Dodgers games as a lifelong fan. His 1989 Topps card serves as a memento of achieving the big league dream, if only for a brief time. While injuries prevented Walling from sustaining MLB success, card #272 captures the optimism and promise he flashed in reaching the sport’s highest level after being overlooked his whole career. It stands as a reminder that with dedication and determination, even undersized players from small schools can make the majors.
