Introduction: Dean William McLAUGHLIN, son of Walter Douglas McLaughlin (1891-1971) and Gertrude Lillian Pascoe (...-1986), was born March 7, 1921 in Oshawa where he lived all his life with the exception of 5 years. Dean married Wilma Doreen Stevens (they had two children: Dale Marie and Steve Brent). Like most McLaughlins from this area, Dean's ancestors are William McLaughlin (c1772-1866) and Jane Irwin (c1781-1858), who were born in Ireland and emigrated in 1832 to finally settle in Enniskilen, Ontario. Dean is the 5th generation. His grandfather, William McLaughlin (1838-1902), had a brother named James Wellington McLaughlin who was an Ontario Provincial Member of Parliament and Minister of Education. Another brother of William, Robert McLaughlin, founded the McLaughlin Carriage Co. Ltd. Robert's sons brought it to McLaughlin Motor Works, forerunner of General Motors of Canada.
Achievements: Dean McLaughlin's career is one of the longest and most illustrious. Besides winning 12 Canadian titles and at least 7 Ontario provincial titles, Dean won the North American championship in 1960 and in 1967 put on one of the best performance ever on Canadian soil. He held a world record of 91.6% for 5 consecutive games set in 1960 at the Canadians Thirty-six years separate his first Canadian title in 1938, at age 17, from his last in 1974 at age 53.
Dean played the 1 and 1/4, from 1935 to 1953, and 1 and 3/4 turn starting from 1954. His best with the first turn was 79.6% (1950) and with the 1 and 3/4 turn was 83.8% (1960) at the Canadian Championships. He won his first trophy in 1935 at the Cobourg Fair. Dean was the first Canadian to average over 80% which he did at the 1957 Canadian championships. A sore back affected the last part of his pitching career. Back to competition in 1984 and 1985 he still played very well: In Hamilton (Oct. 1984), he came 3rd with more than 75%.
He was inducted into the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame on May 22, 1986 along with 33 others among the finest athletes and sports administrators Oshawa has produced. Among inductees honored at the Civic Auditorium in front of 2,000 spectators were hockey greats Bobby Orr, Harry Sinden and Ed Westfall. Dean was also inducted into the NHPA Hall of Fame in 1974.
Other activities:He Played softball on two Ontario championship teams - Oshawa Colts - 1942 and '43. Curled in Ontario British Consul Playdowns in Peterborough (1956). Was a member of a rink winning two district championships, 1971-72, in lawn bowling: But, of course, Dean made his mark as a horseshoe pitcher.
