Sport Slices

Larry Soule was always a fierce competitor. From his early days at Queen Victoria School on Pine Street in Belleville, to his final moments in Cambridge, Larry Soule fought valiantly.
He battled cancer for twenty-four years. Two years ago, at sixty-five years of age, he ran a ten kilometre run for cancer survivors, and finished first!

Larry’s best friend, Stu Muirhead, was also a fine athlete. He moved from minor hockey in Belleville to have an outstanding career with the Peterborough Petes. Stu remembers his early days playing with, and against Larry. “I always hated to play against Larry, even practise against him. Larry just had to win. It would drive me nuts! It was like playing against a pit bull, always aggressive and tenacious. Larry excelled at every sport he played: baseball, football, hockey, tennis, and even tin can cricket, which was a favourite game at the “East Hill Playground”.”

Larry was an outstanding running back for B.C.I. & V.S. When he was handed the ball, he easily found the best hole to hit. But he was also well known for making yardage on his own, smashing and slashing into the opponent’s backfield. He also would grab a rebound on the basketball court, making the opposition pay in the process.

“Soulesy” could get under your skin, and would not back away from trouble sent his way. He was chatty on the playing field, always smiling as he ripped opponents. He could unnerve even the most composed players. Larry played with the Senior Kenmore baseball club. As Muirhead remembers, he got the best of one of Kingston’s finest athletes, Charlie Pester. “Charlie stood well over six feet, had played professional baseball for many years, and towered over Larry. Near the end of the game, Pester threw a pitch high and hard at Larry’s head. Larry dove out of the way, and really went after Pester, verbally. In the next inning, Larry made a spectacular catch on a ball that Pester had driven deep to the outfield.

Before Larry went up to bat again, he cautioned his catcher, Larry Mavety, to be ready. Sure enough, Pester threw again at Larry’s head. Soule dropped the bat and charged the mound, as did players from both teams. After the dust settled, Pester and Soule were tossed from the game. The Kenmores won. That was all that mattered to Larry!”

There will be a private memorial for Larry. In lieu of flowers, his wife Terry has requested that donations to Lisaard House Hospice, in Cambridge---www.lisaardhouse.com