Tony Gwynn Jr. first learned of Will Venable, a candidate for the Detroit Tigers' managerial vacancy, in May 2009. Playing for the Milwaukee Brewers' Triple-A affiliate, Gwynn was on a plane to Portland, Oregon.
Venable played for Triple-A Portland in the San Diego Padres' organization. And Gwynn's father, Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, spent his entire 20-year MLB career with the Padres.
But that's not how Gwynn and Venable became friends. Venable's girlfriend (now wife), Kathryn, was sitting in the same row as Gwynn on the flight to Portland. He learned plenty about Venable on the trip there.