Johnny Jaap

Who was Johnny Jaap?

Johnny Jaap was a Scottish-U.S. soccer inside right. He played seven seasons in the American Soccer League and one with Hearts. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Jaap was born in Scotland, but moved to the United States with his family when he was a child. His family settled in Pittsburgh where he grew up playing soccer from a young age. He began his career in 1912 with a series of amateur and semi-professional teams in the Pittsburgh area. In 1921, he moved to Philadelphia Field Club of the first division American Soccer League. His first game came on February 13, 1922, a 5-2 victory over the Fall River Marksmen. Jaap played seven games with Philadelphia, but returned to the minor leagues for several years. In September 1925, Bethlehem Steel F.C. signed Jaap. Jaap remained with Bethlehem until it folded in 1930. During that time, Jaap won four league titles with Philadelphia/Bethlehem and the 1926 National Challenge Cup. In the Challenge Cup, a 7-2 win over St. Louis Scullin Steel F.C., Jaap scored one of the Bethlehem goals. After Bethlehem Steel folded, Jaap moved to Scotland for one season with Hearts F.C.