Ken Pears, a Canada Soccer Hall of Fame and four-time Canadian Soccer Championship winner, passed away last year when he was 88 years of age. Considered North America’s best goalkeeper in the1950s-1960s, Pears was starting goalkeeper when Canada entered FIFA World Cup Qualifiers for the first time in 1957 and played every game against the USA and Mexico.

In his nearly 20 year careerPears won seven Pacific Coast League titles, one Vancouver Mainland League title, and one Western Canada League title and he won in 1953 the North American Championship for the Jack Diamond Trophy in 1953 and two J.F. Kennedy Trophies in 1964 and 66.

Hall of Fame honoured member Neil Ellett who considered Pears his youth time hero and then faced him years later in the Pacific Coast League said: “Pears was the best goalkeeper of his generation because of his anticipation and his never give-up attitude. He was just a first-class athlete who understood the game well. He was number one by far, head and shoulders over everyone.”

Pears was just 17 years old when he made debut in the Canadian first division league with New Westminster Royals. After trials with North Shore. He officially signed with the New Westminster Royals later that year in 1951. That same season Pears won his first senior trophy with the club in February when the Royals won the 1952 Anderson Cup.


Pears was the first North American goalkeeper ever to wear a pair of custom made Goalkeeper Gloves. In the 50’s it was unusual for any goalkeeper to wear gloves.

Pears was a member of the Canada Soccer hall of Fame. Throughout and beyond his soccer career, he even had time to work as a volunteer for the Vancouver Fire Department and did so for 37 years. Born in Vancouver on 12 April 1934, Pears died right where he was born on 18 December 2022.