A passionate trail

Memoir of an interesting life

By: Laura Swift

Posted: 10/10/08

Bill Soyars, Class of 1947, was part of the only Aggie football team that went to the Orange Bowl. He served in World War II, hunted in Africa and had his name placed at the world-renowned St. Andrews Golf Club in Scotland.

To share his stories, 82-year-old Soyars chronicled his life in an autobiography, "A Passionate Trail," which he will be signing Saturday at Hastings on Texas Avenue.

"I felt like I have led an interesting life, so I decided to put my life experiences in book form," Soyars said.

He grew up during the Great Depression, and rode on horseback every day to school. "My family was poor," Soyars said. "I remember asking my dad for a nickel for ice cream, and he said he didn't have one."

He spent his childhood working with cattle, playing sports and was involved with Boy Scouts.

After graduating high school, Soyars made his way to Aggieland and asked to be placed in the horse cavalry. "I was part of the last class at A&M to drill mounted on horseback," Soyars said.

In addition to his involvement with the Corps, Soyars walked on to the football team in 1943. "We played in the Southwest Conference Championship against Texas in 1943," Soyars said. "And that year we were invited to play in the Orange Bowl, on Jan. 1, 1944. We were the only Aggie football team that got to play in the Orange Bowl."

Soyars' life took a detour the following year when he was drafted out of school as a sophomore. He was deployed to Italy, where he served the U.S. during the final six months of World War II.

"I was discharged from the military in 1946, and I came back to A&M in 1947," Soyars said. "I returned to the football team, but I was so injured that a doctor recommended that I not play anymore."

With his football career behind him, Soyars decided to try out for A&M's rodeo team in 1949, something he was familiar with from growing up around horses. Again, Soyars was able to travel with a nationally recognized team when they competed in the 1950 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Finals in San Francisco's Cow Palace.

Upon graduating A&M, Soyars ventured into familiar territory - the cattle industry. "For 57 years I worked in the cattle business," Soyars said.

With steady work, Soyars didn't hesitate to pursue another passion - flying. "In 1951 I finished my flight training, and in 1956 was hired as an Army Air Corps flight instructor," Soyars said. "I instructed Army students, administering more than 3,000 hours."

During this time he continued to fly independently, eventually gaining more than 18,000 hours in flying time and he still flies today. "I just passed my physical and check ratings, so I am still flying," Soyars said.

Soyars' hunger for adventure did not stop with cattle ranching and flying. He was a hunting guide for 60 years, during which he participated in hunts everywhere from Baja California to Alaska.

"In 1973, I went to Africa as part of the Old Time Tent Safari Hunt, where I killed four of the five 'dangerous animals,'" Soyars said.

Soyars' world travels took him to Scotland in 1987, where he displayed another one of his many talents, this time in golf. He competed in and won the British Senior Amateur Golf Championship in Scotland, which is one of the world's premier golf championships. His name is immortalized in the Royal and Ancient Golf Records at St. Andrews, Scotland.

Soyars resides in Austin, where he is an active member of Hyde Park Baptist Church.

Soyars is a frequent visitor to Aggieland, where he reunites with his football team every year. This year is significant for the former team, because it marks the 65th anniversary of their trip to the Orange Bowl. Soyars said the team is being introduced on Kyle Field during the Colorado game on Nov. 1.

The 520-page book follows Soyars' adventures in detail, accompanied by 750 pictures.

"A Passionate Trail" was published in June 2008.