This episode (Beaver's Fortune) opens with June and Ward talking about a boy who's bullying the boys in Beaver's class--the boy, Sonny, is a year older.

Yet here's what we see:

1. Sonny is just walking by at school as Larry pushes Whitey, who happens to bump into Sonny.

2. Larry and Beaver are sitting on a park bench when Sonny walks by. Larry gets his attention and asks him if he wants a punch in the nose.

3. In the school hall Sonny says hello to Beaver, and Larry pursues him. Larry reappears after Sonny punches him.

Seems like Larry is the bully in this one.

I agree, Sonny is just a mature 5th grader who plays the flute or clarinet. He had to do chores around the house hence not showing up for the fight. He did get Larry good in the bread basket (really old expression) right where he almost had his operation. So did Larry get his appendix out or did he not get his appendix out?

Sonny is a tough guy, to be sure, but he appears to be not looking for a fight. But if one presents itself, he's not backing down.

That's not a bully.

Larry and that appendix. Depends on the episode, I guess!

Interesting that twice Larry stands up to Sonny in Beaver's Fortune. Yet in Beaver Makes a Loan, with Beaver he backs down.

I figure that for every Sonny Cortwright out there, there is a "Duke Hathaway" who pushed things just a little too far.

Without Larry, there would have been no altercations with Sonny. Sonny was just minding his own business.