Hall of Fame: Molli Mullen (Newport Harbor)

Richard Dunn

As Molli Mullen was being honored as the 1996 Daily Pilot Newport-Mesa District Player of the Year in softball, the Newport Harbor

High junior was battling cancer at Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

Mullen, diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease on April 29, 1996, while

barely still making pitches for the Sailors’ softball team, discovered a

whole new group of young friends at CHOC’s oncology unit.

There was 4-year-old William Hinton, who would race Mullen up and down

the hallways in his tricycle with an i.v. pole in tow. There was

8-year-old Mariah Gill, whose fingernails Mullen would paint.

Mullen celebrated her 17th birthday at CHOC, but one of her friends,

5-year-old Mitchell McKee, didn’t make the party. He died two days

before. That was the world Mullen was living.

But Mullen served as a beacon of light to many young children during

her own crisis and countless chemotherapy treatments, while inspiring

others around her with a beaming attitude and courageous fight, which is

virtually tackled.

“For five years, you’re in remission from when you finish your

treatments,” she said. “In November, I have a big party coming.”

Mullen, who was able to recover from the chemotherapy sessions and

play softball her senior year at Newport Harbor, is preparing these days

for her senior year at NCAA Division II West Chester University in

Pennsylvania, after a two-year “retirement” from collegiate softball.

Mullen was once so disgruntled with her blond hair falling out from

chemotherapy that she shaved her head and wore a wig to her junior prom.

But, today, she’s thriving, and has even changed her college major to

social work.

“I want to do clinical social work at Children’s Hospital of Orange

County, ideally in the oncology unit, but I would be happy anywhere,”

said Mullen, whose life has been greatly influenced by CHOC.

“I want to work with kids. My social worker at CHOC, Mitzi Bennett,

was there (five years ago) and, no matter what, she was there when I had

all my problems. She saved me. (Her influence) was huge. I still call her

when I have a paper to write. The only sad part now is that I’m going to

have to steal her job. I feel bad about it. Maybe we can work something

out together.”

Before Mullen lobbies for a career at CHOC, she still has another year

of pitching in front of her, after transferring from Goldey-Beacom

College in Delaware to a community college for one year, then to West

Chester.

Mullen, whose best pitch is a three-knuckle drop, was voted the team’s

most valuable player her sophomore season at Goldey-Beacom in 1999. But

the school didn’t offer the major in social work that Mullen was seeking,

so she transferred.

The latest honoree in the Daily Pilot Sports Hall of Fame, who plans

to attend graduate school at San Francisco State or the University of San

Francisco, thrives on off-speed pitches on the mound. Her three-knuckle

drop is so unpredictable that “most catchers will tell you it can be

(nasty), because it (sometimes) bounces three feet before the plate. But

when it’s working, it’s nice.”

In high school, Mullen also played field hockey, but softball was her

specialty. She played four varsity seasons at Newport Harbor and earned

All-Sea View League honors all four years, her freshman year as a third

baseman and the last three as a pitcher.

Mullen was also a four-time all-district selection, including the

aforementioned Player of the Year honor as a junior in ‘96, when she

batted .352 and won 6 of 11 pitching decisions, including a no-hitter and

three one-hitters.

Mullen, who also slugged a grand slam that season and was subsequently

named Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week, struck out 67 in 64 innings with a

2.63 earned-run average as Newport Harbor claimed the mythical district

championship, beating Corona del Mar, Estancia and Costa Mesa.

One of Mullen’s favorite highlights came as a freshman in ‘94, when

the Sailors defeated Woodbridge, at the time ranked No. 1 in Orange

County.