Our Story
In 1969, a twelve-year-old boy nicknamed Fuji dreamed of one day playing at Crosley Field where Cincinnati Reds players like Pete Rose and Johnny Bench started their legendary careers. Dr. Paul Mullen has never lost sight of his dream. He still holds dear his 1969 Knothole championship trophy, which he shows the students everywhere he speaks. As a children’s book author who speaks at schools, Dr. Mullen reminds students that a dream will never leave them.
Dr. Mullen believes that each child has been offered a special gift. At the age of eight, his daughter, Erin, asked him if he could teach her how to play baseball. After years of dedication and hard work, Erin realized her dream of winning gold for TEAM USA. She and her fellow teammates have been recognized by Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame.
Dr. Mullen saw a need to help other children believe in dreams. He was asked by the principal of a small town public school in central Florida if he would move from Ohio to Florida to teach struggling middle school readers. Dr. Mullen agreed and soon realized that while a few of his students had learning disabilities, most of his struggling readers hated school and acted out violently to gain attention. Over time though, Dr. Mullen reached out to these embittered students and earned their trust by restoring their belief in dreams.
Dr. Mullen felt it was his duty to reach out to other school students across the United States. He created The Day I Hit a Home Run Enterprise and is currently the only children’s author/publisher who has partnered with MLB’s minor league baseball to create local sports stories that motivate students to believe in dreams. His inspirational stories are based on the lives of average students who rise above their own expectations and perform exceptionally at a nationally recognized sports stadium.
What is truly remarkable is that all of Dr. Mullen’s speaking engagements have been through word-of-mouth. You won’t see this children’s book author on Oprah, Rachel Ray, or Ellen. Where you will see him or hear about him is through email or word-of-mouth from educators just like you.
