Moon Mullen
Ford Parker "Moon" Mullen (February 9, 1917 – February 28, 2013) was a second baseman in Major League Baseball who played one year for the Philadelphia Blue Jays during the 1944 season. Listed at 5' 9", 165 lb., Mullen batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He attended the University of Oregon, where he played baseball and basketball, and was a member of the basketball team that won the first NCAA men's basketball championship.
| Moon Mullen | |
|---|---|
 Mullen from the 1939 Oregana | |
| Second baseman | |
| Born: February 9, 1917 Olympia, Washington | |
| Died: February 28, 2013 (aged 96) Stanwood, Washington | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 18, 1944, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 1, 1944, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .267 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| Runs batted in | 31 |
| Teams | |
Early life
Mullen was born in Olympia, Washington. He received the nickname "Moon" after the popular comic strip character "Moon Mullins".[1] Mullen attended the University of Oregon, where he played baseball and basketball. He was a reserve guard on the 1938–39 Oregon Ducks men's basketball team coached by Howard Hobson, and winners of the first ever NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.[1] On the baseball team (also coached by Hobson), he played third base, catcher, and second base.[1]
Professional career
In 1944, Mullen played 118 games for the Philadelphia Blue Jays (as the Philadelphia Phillies were briefly known), posting a .267 batting average (124-for-464) with 51 runs and 31 RBI, including nine doubles, four triples, four stolen bases, and a .315 on-base percentage with no home runs.[2] Following the 1944 season, Mullen was one of many major leaguers who saw his baseball career interrupted by a stint in the United States Army during World War II. He served several years, then attended spring training with the Phillies but did not make the team.[1] He played several years in the Pacific Coast League, for teams like the Seattle Rainiers and the Portland Beavers. He then managed the 1950 Boise Pilots of the Pioneer League.[1]
After baseball
He was married to his wife Jessie, whom he met at a high school football game, for 72 years.[3] After his baseball career, he returned to Olympia where he coached the Olympia High School baseball team and taught high school biology and zoology for 27 years before his retirement.[1]
He died in Stanwood, Washington on February 28, 2013. He had suffered a stroke two weeks prior to his death.[3] At the age of 96 he was the last surviving member of the Ducks' 1939 NCAA team and was one of the oldest living major league ballplayers.
References
- "Living legends bring Ducks' legacy to life". The Register-Guard. February 27, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
- "Moon Mullen". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
- Stone, Larry. "Ford 'Moon' Mullen, ex-major-leaguer and member of 'Tall Firs' Oregon team, dies at 96". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2013-03-02.
Further reading
- Stone, Larry (January 29, 2011), "Washington's oldest major-leaguer looks back on a life well lived", The Seattle Times
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Moon Mullen biography at BR Bullpen