Jack Hynes (soccer) facts for kids

John Hynes (1920 – 3 August 2013) was an American soccer player. He played as a forward. John spent over twenty years in the American Soccer League. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) twice.

In 1949, he played four games for the United States men's national soccer team. Besides being a professional soccer player, Hynes worked as a New York City fireman. He served from 1947 to 1975. He also served in the U.S. Army during World War II. John Hynes is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Playing Soccer: Early Career

John Hynes moved to the United States from Scotland when he was thirteen. He attended Curtis High School on Staten Island, New York. He was the captain of his high school soccer team for two seasons.

Even while in high school, John also played for a professional team. He joined Brooklyn St. Mary's Celtic in the American Soccer League (ASL). In 1938, his team played in the National Challenge Cup. They lost to Chicago Sparta. Hynes played as a substitute in one of those games.

After the National Cup, Hynes moved to Swedish F.C. This team played in the National Soccer League of New York. In 1940, Swedish F.C. won both the league and cup titles. They won the cup again in 1941. That same year, Hynes returned to the ASL. He joined the New York Americans.

John started his career as an amateur player. However, he received small payments for games. In 1939, the president of the U.S. Soccer Federation officially declared Hynes a professional player.

Playing Soccer: War and Later Years

Hynes played for the New York Americans for two years. Then, he joined the U.S. Army's 80th Division during World War II. He was awarded a Purple Heart for his service. He was seriously wounded during the Battle of the Bulge.

Despite his injuries, Hynes recovered. He rejoined the New York Americans and played for them until 1952. After that, he signed with Brookhattan. In 1954, he moved to Brooklyn Hakoah. In 1956, he was named the ASL MVP. The next season, Hakoah won the ASL championship.

Even with these successes, Hynes moved back to Brookhattan in 1957. He was once again named the league MVP. He was also second on the league's scoring list. In 1959, Hynes made his last move to Colombo. This was a new ASL team in Brooklyn. Hynes played for and coached Colombo. The team only lasted one season, 1959–1960, before it stopped playing. However, Colombo won the ASL championship in its first year.

By this time, Hynes's legs were giving out. He had his fifth knee operation. This led him to stop playing professional soccer.

Playing for the U.S. National Team

Hynes played four games for the U.S. national team. He was chosen for the team that played in the 1949 NAFC Championship. This tournament was used to decide which North American teams would qualify for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. The U.S. team finished second and qualified for the World Cup.

However, Hynes was not chosen for the World Cup team. This happened after the New York Times newspaper published comments he made. He had criticized how the U.S. Soccer Federation chose players.

Life After Playing Soccer

After retiring from playing, John Hynes became a referee and a coach. He coached both high school and college teams. His coaching jobs included:

• St. Charles Parish S.I. Youth Soccer in 1980
• Monsignor Farrell High School S.I. Varsity Soccer coach from 1982–1985
• Wagner College
• His old team, Swedish F.C., in the National Soccer League of New York.

In 1977, Hynes was honored by being inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. In 1997, the Eastern New York State Soccer Association also added Hynes to its Hall of Fame.

John Hynes passed away on August 3, 2013, at the age of 92. He died in Staten Island, New York.

See also

• List of United States men's international soccer players born outside the United States