William Ashley "Billy" Sunday was born on November 19, 1862 in Story County, Iowa.
His bricklayer and farmer father never saw him. He had left his wife behind on the Iowa prairie to serve in the Union armies during the American Civil War. He died when Billy was five months old of pneumonia at an army camp in Patterson, Missouri.
His mother was so impoverished, she sent Billy and an older brother away to the Soldier's Orphans Home. Sunday survived only with the support of his brother and his love of sports, especially baseball.
Sunday's speed and agility provided him the opportunity to play baseball as an outfielder in the major leagues for eight years. He was considered an average hitter and a good fielder known for his quick base-running.
His professional baseball career began with the Chicago White Stockings in 1883 (he struck out his first 13 at bats); Sunday moved to the Pittsburgh Pirates, and in 1890, to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he was batting .261 and had stolen 84 bases when he quit.
In the summer of 1886 after leaving a bar, Sunday and his friends came upon a street preacher. Inspired, Sunday started attending services at the preacher's mission and converted, leaving his life of vice behind him. He soon became a passionate advocate for the faith.
After becoming a Christian in 1886, Sunday became a YMCA teacher-evangelist. At YMCAs across the nation, Sunday drew enormous crowds who clamored to hear the famous baseball player recall his faith journey.
Soon, Sunday sensed God’s call to full-time ministry. He played his final Major League Baseball game for Philadelphia Phillies on October 4, 1890.
When Billy Sunday preached, he would run across the stage, jumping on and off a chair, tearing off his coat and collar and throwing them to the floor.
During the early 20th century, Sunday was America's most famous evangelist with his colloquial sermons and frenetic delivery. At the beginning of the century he began the "Muscular Christianity" movement for Christian men and he was also a prime mover behind the temperance movement which lead to the 1919 prohibition of the sale or manufacture of alcohol.
In the 1920's Sunday was one of the first preachers to make use of the new medium of radio.
Though the crowds declined during the last 15 years of his life, Sunday continued accepting preaching invitations. In early 1935, he had a mild heart attack, and he died on November 6, 1935 a week after preaching his last sermon on the text "What must I do to be saved?"
Source Christianity Today
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| Billy Sunday, American baseball player and Christian evangelist. |
His bricklayer and farmer father never saw him. He had left his wife behind on the Iowa prairie to serve in the Union armies during the American Civil War. He died when Billy was five months old of pneumonia at an army camp in Patterson, Missouri.
His mother was so impoverished, she sent Billy and an older brother away to the Soldier's Orphans Home. Sunday survived only with the support of his brother and his love of sports, especially baseball.
Sunday's speed and agility provided him the opportunity to play baseball as an outfielder in the major leagues for eight years. He was considered an average hitter and a good fielder known for his quick base-running.
His professional baseball career began with the Chicago White Stockings in 1883 (he struck out his first 13 at bats); Sunday moved to the Pittsburgh Pirates, and in 1890, to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he was batting .261 and had stolen 84 bases when he quit.
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| Billy Sunday, Center Fielder, Chicago White Stockings, c. 1887 |
In the summer of 1886 after leaving a bar, Sunday and his friends came upon a street preacher. Inspired, Sunday started attending services at the preacher's mission and converted, leaving his life of vice behind him. He soon became a passionate advocate for the faith.
After becoming a Christian in 1886, Sunday became a YMCA teacher-evangelist. At YMCAs across the nation, Sunday drew enormous crowds who clamored to hear the famous baseball player recall his faith journey.
Soon, Sunday sensed God’s call to full-time ministry. He played his final Major League Baseball game for Philadelphia Phillies on October 4, 1890.
When Billy Sunday preached, he would run across the stage, jumping on and off a chair, tearing off his coat and collar and throwing them to the floor.
 |
| Sunday preaching by George Bellows, Metropolitan Magazine, May 1915 |
During the early 20th century, Sunday was America's most famous evangelist with his colloquial sermons and frenetic delivery. At the beginning of the century he began the "Muscular Christianity" movement for Christian men and he was also a prime mover behind the temperance movement which lead to the 1919 prohibition of the sale or manufacture of alcohol.
In the 1920's Sunday was one of the first preachers to make use of the new medium of radio.
Though the crowds declined during the last 15 years of his life, Sunday continued accepting preaching invitations. In early 1935, he had a mild heart attack, and he died on November 6, 1935 a week after preaching his last sermon on the text "What must I do to be saved?"
Source Christianity Today
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