:Max Venable

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Max Venable

|position=Outfielder

|image=MaxVenable.jpg

|bats=Left

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1957|6|6}}

|birth_place=Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=April 8

|debutyear=1979

|debutteam=San Francisco Giants

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=October 6

|finalyear=1991

|finalteam=California Angels

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.241

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=18

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=128

|teams=

San Francisco Giants ({{mlby|1979}}–{{mlby|1983}})
Montreal Expos ({{mlby|1984}})
Cincinnati Reds ({{mlby|1985}}–{{mlby|1987}})
California Angels ({{mlby|1989}}–{{mlby|1991}})
Chiba Lotte Marines ({{npby|1992}}–{{npby|1993}})

}}

William McKinley "Max" Venable (born June 6, 1957) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, Montreal Expos, Cincinnati Reds, and California Angels. Venable also played for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), and coached for the SK Wyverns of the KBO League.

Early years

Venable is the son of Molly and Max Venable.{{Cite news|first=John|last=Dewey|date=June 2, 2011 |title=Mom knows best for Padres' Venable|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/mom-knows-best-for-padres-venable/|access-date=|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal}} He went to Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova, California, where he was a multi-sport star. He excelled in all sports but, in high school, football was his best. He turned down football scholarships to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers.{{Cite web|date=August 24, 2015|title=Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame To Be Unveiled|url=https://www.cityofranchocordova.org/Home/Components/News/News/2113/19?arch=1&npage=5|access-date=2020-06-06|website=City of Rancho Cordova}}

Career

= Major League Baseball =

Although drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 3rd round of the 1976 amateur draft, the Dodgers left him unprotected. In 1978 the San Francisco Giants took Venable in the Rule 5 draft. The Giants traded him to the Montreal Expos in 1984. Venable later played for the Cincinnati Reds, of the National League, and the California Angels of the American League. He also played two seasons in Japan, {{Baseball year|1992}} and {{Baseball year|1993}}, for the Chiba Lotte Marines.

File:Max Venable 1983.jpg

He coached for the Atlanta Braves in the minor leagues, along with the San Diego Padres. He is a hitting instructor in the Seattle Mariners farm system to date.

= SK Wyverns =

Max signed with Korean Baseball team SK Wyverns as a hitting coach in 2013.

Personal life

Max married Mary “Molly” Cross in May 1982. The couple have two sons. Max's older son, Will, is a former Major League outfielder and current manager for the Chicago White Sox.{{Cite web |date=October 29, 2024 |title=MLB.com |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/will-venable-white-sox-manager |website=MLB}} Will previously played baseball and basketball for Princeton University. He joined his father as a member of the Portland Beavers in {{Baseball year|2008}}. Max's younger son Winston Venable is a former National Football League player for the Chicago Bears and in college was a standout safety for the Boise State Broncos football team for the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons.

References

External links

{{Baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br=v/venabma01 |fangraphs=1013401 |brm=venabl002wil}}, or [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/V/Pvenam001.htm Retrosheet]

Category:1957 births

Category:Living people

Category:African-American baseball coaches

Category:African-American baseball managers

Category:African-American baseball players

Category:American expatriate baseball people in South Korea

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Japan

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Mexico

Category:Baseball coaches from Arizona

Category:Baseball coaches from California

Category:Baseball players from Phoenix, Arizona