Not officially retired, Shane Victorino talks about his foundation, family and life away from

Shane Victorino poses for a photo with his family Sunday during the Shane Victorino Foundation Golf Classic at the Wailea Gold Course. Pictured with him are wife Melissa, stepson Keenan Smith (left), daughter Kali‘a and son Kingston. The Maui News / CHRIS SUGIDONO photos

It has been well over a year since Shane Victorino suited up for a Major League Baseball team, and while he would not “officially” say he is retired, he knows his window is closing.

“I think it’s one of those things where it’s not official yet, but obviously you could probably say after being away from the game,” Victorino said Saturday. “I don’t think it’s a definitive answer because who doesn’t want to play? But it’s a matter of what makes sense. I mean I’ll have decide sooner or later, so we’ll see.”

The two-time All-Star, who was born and raised in Wailuku, returned home to host the 10th annual Shane Victorino Foundation Celebrity Dinner & Golf Classic over the weekend. Victorino has played 12 seasons in the big leagues, won four Gold Glove Awards and two World Series championships.

He is arguably the greatest baseball player from Hawaii, with a career .275 batting average, 1,274 hits, 108 home runs, 731 runs and 231 stolen bases. He also has delivered iconic moments in the postseason and was an integral player for the Philadelphia Phillies title run in 2008 and the Boston Red Sox in 2013.

Shane Victorino speaks to guests and celebrities Sunday afternoon during his 10th annual Shane Victorino Foundation Golf Classic at the Wailea Gold Course.

Victorino last played for the Chicago Cubs in March 2016 and has turned down several minor league contracts since then. He turns 37 at the end of the month.

“There’s some things that have come to the table, but nothing made sense to the point where it’s pushed me off the couch,” he said before his dinner event at the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort on Saturday. “But let’s focus on the foundation, c’mon not so much about baseball.”

The St. Anthony High School grad has embraced his role as a full-time father and leader of his charitable foundation since stepping off the diamond. Founded in 2010, the Shane Victorino Foundation focuses on underserved youth and projects that provide children with educational, recreational and wellness programs.

The foundation has donated over $300,000 for Hawaii youth as well as built two batting cages and formed a tuition assistance fund at St. Anthony. Victorino also hosted a free, family-friendly concert Friday at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center that featured local artists such as Fiji, Anuhea, Ekolu and PeniDean.

“It’s those kinds of efforts that bring everybody together,” he said. “In times of happiness, everybody benefits and sometimes you have a platform to make it more pivotal.”

Shane Victorino hugs son Kingston, 7, on Sunday afternoon during his 10th annual Shane Victorino Foundation Golf Classic at the Wailea Gold Course.

Victorino said that he has dreams of helping the Maui community more than he could do when he was playing. He talked about possibly building a “Victorino Ohana stadium” similar to Les Murakami Stadium and bringing in baseball teams from the Mainland that would boost tourism and support for youth.

“Why can’t we have a state-of-the-art facility where there’s eight baseball fields and you held all these big tournaments?” he asked. “Oahu has them, why can’t we have them here? But everybody has to be on board because the bottom line of all this is: What do you do to make the community better?

“If we all break even and nobody makes money, we still put something better in the community that needed it.”

He clarified that he does not want further development at the expense of the community and knows there is only so much land on Maui. However, he hopes to work with companies, government officials and community members to build new opportunities.

“I think, for me, it’s now being a philanthropist and an entrepreneur,” he said. “I look at things and think, ‘How can I make Maui better?’ I’ve saved, I’ve worked and I’ve been smart about those things. Now it’s time to really learn that next step.

“But, again, it’s a team. I can’t do this alone.”

Victorino said it’s “very strange” adjusting to parenthood and he admits he is still learning. He and his wife, Melissa, have two children together — Kingston, 7, and Kali’a, 10. He also has a stepson, Keenan Smith.

Victorino said that Kingston plays several sports and does not know if he will end up pursuing baseball. He said he coached the boy’s baseball team a few times, but has taken a step back.

“I’m by far the dad who wants to be the inspiration for my son, but I understand” the chances of making it to the majors, he said. “Yes, truthfully I got to live it and that was great, but at the end of it I know that number is very, very minimal. I know he’s going to get the chances, but it’s also a bigger platform because there’s expectations.

“I don’t know what his passion is going to be. I just want to be the dad who will love, nurture and be there during the highs and lows.”

Melissa Victorino joked that it may be a “long journey” before her husband coaches a Little League team.

“I don’t think he can relate to a 7-year-old and dealing with parents/fans,” she said. “He’ll get there eventually, but for now he loves being a supportive dad and sitting from the sidelines. Of course, baseball is in his blood, so he’s always giving advice from the sidelines and trying to coach which technically isn’t legal in the Little League world.”

Raising his daughter has been admittedly different, though, for Victorino, who did not have a sister growing up.

“I had a big brother, so everything was boy, boy, boy,” he said laughing. “So I’m understanding the aspects of being a dad.”

Melissa Victorino said that his transition from baseball has been “much easier” than she expected. She said her husband has a routine of dropping the children off at school and taking them to activities after.

“Now what I’ve been doing for . . . years, he’s excited about doing that,” she said with a smile. “He’s jumped into this new role full speed ahead, though, he’s very full speed ahead in everything.”

She said that Victorino is regularly scheduling conference calls and making contacts for the foundation. He has taken a much more “hands-on” role now that he has time, she said.

“He’s so excited about the day and he’s like, ‘What do you have? What do the kids have?’ “ she said. “It’s like a whole new life he’s excited about.”

Melissa Victorino said there are small things that he is adjusting to like trash day, where the mail goes and “if I put something by the door it means I need to see it so I don’t forget it.”

“He’s made a really good adjustment about not having us mold to how he wants things,” she said. “He’s very much molding how we have things and how he’s incorporating himself into that.”

Aside from bonding, the family has also traveled much over the past year, including to Alaska, Thailand, London, Italy and Spain. Melissa Victorino said that her husband had never been to Europe.

“He signed out of high school so vacationing was never in his upbringing or adulthood,” she said. “There was never vacations. There was off seasons with a couple trips, but usually it was to home.”

Victorino hopes to leave a legacy both on and off the field. He said he enjoys watching the Atlanta Braves’ Kurt Suzuki, a Baldwin grad, and St. Louis Cardinals’ Kolten Wong, a Kamehameha Hawaii grad, strive to beat his records.

“I told myself I wanted to be the most prolific Hawaiian athlete and to set a standard for kids,” Victorino said. “I told Kolten, ‘I want you to sign the biggest contract in Hawaii history because you know why? It’s fun. I know you’re getting that because you’re playing well.’ “

“I’m jealous a little bit because I’m competitive,” he continued. “But I want (Wong) to reach that pinnacle. The biggest thing is being a role model, man. That’s what you got to do.”

* Chris Sugidono can be reached at csugidono@mauinews.com.

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