Mysql – Cant connect to MySQL server from Java application

This is on VPS\Centos server. The MySQL server is pre configured.

I am running the Java application on Tomcat

My Java web application is not able to connect to the MySQL server.

I get an error –
"Caused by: java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused"

I suspect this to be a configuration problem rather than a coding problem- hence I have posted this on ServerFault
And yes, The same web-app is able to connect to MySQL on a different linux box

This is the URL that I provided to my Java application (note- it assumes default port)

url = "jdbc:mysql://localhost/pickupgames"

My first suspicion was that I am running on a non-default port
So I tried to find the port where mySQL server is running

I tried every trick mentioned in How to check what port mysql is running on
But no luck !

SHOW GLOBAL VARIABLES LIKE 'PORT';
This shows port 0

netstat -tlnp
doesn't show mysql at all

/etc/my.cnf
It has no port entry

telnet localhost 3306
Doesn't connect

And in case you are wondering if mysql server is running at all or not
It is
And I know for sure, because I have been able to login using the mysql command
Also

# ps -ef|grep 'mysql'
root 31839 27662 0 00:49 pts/3 00:00:00 grep mysql
root 32452 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /bin/sh /usr/bin/mysqld_safe –skip-grant-tables –skip-networking
mysql 32504 32452 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:06 /usr/libexec/mysqld –basedir=/usr –datadir=/var/lib/mysql –user=mysql –pid-file=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid –skip-external-locking –socket=/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock –skip-grant-tables –skip-networking

Please note the –skip-networking parameter
Does this have something to do with the issue ?

mysql> SELECT HOST, USER from mysql.user where user='admin';
+———–+——-+
| HOST | USER |
+———–+——-+
| localhost | admin |
+———–+——-+

Does the above have any bearing ?

Any explanation why I cant connect to mysql server on port 3306 by telnet?

Or why it docent show up under netstat?

Any suggestion on whet I should try next ?