Wally Joyner Hits a Grand Slam in His First Week

On May 1, 1986, California Angels rookie Wally Joyner hit a grand slam against the Red Sox at Anaheim Stadium, the first of what would become a season-long love affair between a 23-year-old first baseman and a fanbase that had been waiting for exactly this kind of player.

Joyner had only been in the majors for two weeks. He wasn't supposed to start the season on the roster. The Angels had planned to keep Rod Carew at first base, but Carew's body was breaking down at 40, and Joyner's spring training performance forced the issue. He hit .385 in exhibition games, and manager Gene Mauch gave him the job.

The grand slam was part of an absurd opening stretch. Joyner hit .314 with 10 home runs in April and May, and the fans in Anaheim responded by creating a phenomenon. "Wally World" became the name for section 236 in right field. Fans wore fake mustaches, held banners, and voted Joyner onto the All-Star team as a starter, beating out Don Mattingly in the balloting.

He finished his rookie year with 22 home runs and 100 RBIs. The Angels won the AL West. Joyner never became the Hall of Famer some projected, but his 1986 season was one of the best debut campaigns of the decade. That grand slam on May 1 was the moment Anaheim knew it had something.