Joined OCC: September 29, 1953
Elected to Winged “O”: August 30, 1971
Paul MacLaughlin was an oarsman, paddler, volleyball player, all-around sportsman who was elected to the Winged “O” in 1971.
Born on October 1, 1942 and reared in Honolulu, he started his sports career at Punahou School. There he was a member of the senior rowing crew, interscholastic champions, and was named outstanding oarsman. This was before volleyball was adopted by the Interscholastic League. In college he starred at volleyball at Santa Monica City College which captured the National Collegiate Volleyball Championship in both 1962 and 1963. Captain of the 1963 team, he was named collegiate All-American two years in a row and All-American honorable mention a third year.
Paul’s volleyball and paddling careers overlap and both are outstanding. He began paddling for the Outrigger in 1956 and was a member of the championship 13 and under crew. He was also on the winning freshman crew of 1962, the OCC crew which won the Catalina Island race in 1961, the victorious Molokai to Oahu crew in 1965 and 1975 and the 1975 state championship senior men’s crew. He also paddled Molokai in 1960 and 1971.
In addition to paddling he has assisted the Club’s canoe racing program as boat driver for the Molokai race, 1968, and assistant coach, 1975.
His post-collegiate volleyball honors include: member of the OCC National AAU championship team; and Club doubles volleyball champion in 1969 and 1970 with Tom Haine, and 1971 with Jack Hinds.
An expert paddleboard racer, he captured the stock board class in the annual Waikiki-Diamond Head Paddleboard Race in 1960 and took third place in the channel race between Lanai and Maui.
Paul served the Club not only as a participating athlete, but also as a member of the Building and Grounds Committee, chairman of the Volleyball Committee for four years, and assistant Club Captain in 1965.