The Lynn baseball community will honor the memory of Doug Mullins, a highly respected athlete and coach, with a tremendous tribute: the Doug Mullins Memorial Baseball Tournament to be held May 27-28, 2022, at Fraser Field.
Douglas Adam Mullins was the head coach of the Lynn English baseball team before his passing on Oct. 17, 2020, at the age of 34. Mr. Mullins had an All-Star-caliber career at Lynn Classical and later served as an assistant baseball coach at St. Mary’s and Lynn English before being promoted to the head coaching position at Lynn English on the recommendation of head coach Joe Caponigro and the appointment by Director of Athletics Dick Newton.
The English, Classical and St. Mary’s baseball teams will compete with Swampscott High School in the first Doug Mullins Memorial Baseball Tournament which will be held during Memorial Day weekend.
Caponigro, head coach of the Swampscott High baseball team, is the director of the tournament.
“I loved Doug as a coach and loved him as a person,” said Caponigro. “He was a terrific young guy, very motivated, very good to his players – just an all-around great person.”
Caponigro said when he brought forth his proposal for the tournament to the Lynn athletic directors, Dick Newton (English), Bill Devin (Classical), and Jeff Newhall (St. Mary’s), and head baseball coaches, Esteban Paula (English), Mike Zukowski (Classical), and Derek Dana (St. Mary’s), they warmly embraced the tournament and its intended goals of honoring Mr. Mullins’ legacy.
“I also wanted Swampscott to be a part of the tournament because of my connection and friendship to Doug,” said Caponigro.
The final Nipper Clancy Memorial Baseball Tournament was slated to be held in 2020, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was canceled. The Doug Mullins Baseball Tournament will now become the premier showcase for Lynn baseball on the holiday weekend.
“I had the pleasure of coaching Doug Mullins when he was in the ninth grade,” said Classical AD Devin. “At the time I was the freshman coach, and Dougie was one of my best players. He could pitch, play shortstop, play outfield, and he had tremendous speed. I told [then-Classical] Coach Jim Tgettis that this kid was going to be a very special player on the varsity, which he was.”
Devin said what impressed him the most was Doug’s leadership qualities and character.
“He was a tremendous person, so likable – everything was team first,” said Devin. “He was an extremely hard worker, a great athlete, just a well-rounded person. My sons, Brandon and Sean, played on Doug’s team in American Legion Baseball, and they absolutely loved him as a coach. So, I’m completely honored to be a part of the Doug Mullins Tournament. It’s going to be something special and will keep his memory alive.”
Dick Newton is also excited to be a part of the tournament. “This event is going to be the start of something that we hope continues for many years,” said Newton. “It’s a tribute to Doug and his family to have a tournament named after him. Doug was a wonderful guy who played for Classical and coached at English. He was a Lynn guy through and through, but the most important thing about Doug was that he had many, many friends that loved him and they want to keep his memory alive.”
Jeff Newhall said the Spartans’ baseball team, which is the two-time defending Division 2 state champion, is looking forward to competing in the Doug Mullins Tournament.
“The tournament is an excellent and much-deserved tribute to Doug Mullins and his family and a showcase for high school baseball,” said Newhall.
Caponigro said that an MVP Award will be presented to the tournament’s most outstanding player. Players from each of the four teams will be eligible for selection to the Doug Mullins All-Tournament team.