McLaughlin, one of the best U.S. soccer players of his era, was born in the Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

His first game with the senior team came in another bruising loss, this time an 11–0 defeat at the hands of Norway on August 6, 1948.

He was selected to the finals squad, but did not travel with the team to the tournament because he was unable to get time off from work and was planning his wedding.

In 1945, he moved to the Philadelphia Nationals of the American Soccer League (ASL), remaining with the team through the 1954 season.

He then finished his career with the amateur Philadelphia club Vereinigung Erzgebirge in the United Soccer League of Pennsylvania, playing for Erzegebirge from 1963 to 1965.

Years later, Len Oliver, a veteran of the American Soccer League, wrote, "The smaller McLaughlin inspired us with his finesse, dribbling opponents one-on-one throughout the game, lithe, snaking through defenses, setting up other attackers with deadly through pass, a little guy taking on the biggest defenders.

[11] In March 2008, he was inducted into the Northeast Catholic High School Soccer Hall of Fame.