Benny McLaughlin

Benny McLaughlin grew up playing soccer in Philadelphia, and then attended Temple University in that city, where he was first-team All-American in 1946. McLaughlin played with several top amateur and professional teams in Philadelphia, even while in college. He began with the Lighthouse Boys Club, but in 1945 moved to the Philadelphia Nationals of the American Soccer League (ASL), remaining with them through 1954. In 1949, he scored 10 goals and was voted the 1952 ASL MVP. The Nationals won the ASL title four times while McLaughlin played for them – 1949-51 and 1953. He later played for the New York Brookhattan in 1955-57, the Uhrik Trickers from 1958-60, was with the New York Hakoah in 1961, then played with the New York German-Hungarians from 1961-63, before finishing his career with the Philadelphia amateur club, Erzgebirge, from 1963-65.

McLaughlin was on the US National team in 1950 but could not play in the World Cup that year because he could not get time off work and was planning his wedding. He later worked in the private sector and for the city of Philadelphia. McLaughlin is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame (1977), Northeast Catholic High School Soccer Hall of Fame (2008), the Southeast Pennsylvania Soccer Hall of Fame, and the Temple University Sports Hall of Fame.