Billy Sunday, the Man and His Message

Billy Sunday entered the public eye as an outfielder in Chicago baseball before turning to preaching – a gifted and charismatic speaker, he entertained enormous crowds for decades.

Published when Billy Sunday was at the height of his fame in 1914, this biography takes us from the man’s humble beginnings through to his success as a baseball player and nationally renowned preacher. Upon converting to Christianity in 1887, his celebrity as a sportsman coupled with a knack for compelling speech made Sunday a popular draw at talks. In 1891 he was faced with a choice: continue in baseball, or take up religion full-time. Choosing the latter, it was in the years following that Sunday became the nation’s best-known preacher.

Entire halls known as tabernacles were constructed or modified to host his lectures, which were a national sensation. This was an era before electronic amplification or sound systems: Sunday had to project his voice across venues with upwards of ten or twenty thousand people in attendance, while putting energetic emphasis on his words with theatric gestures. The result was an electrifying stage presence that enthralled crowds who sat completely silent. Sunday’s passionate views in favor of temperance, against swearing, and for Americans to retain their Christian morals and closeness to God affected millions of lives.

This reprint replicates the original 1914 biography of Billy Sunday. All thirty-two chapters are presented complete, in contrast to later, abridged editions.