With the passage of time, Billy Sunday, while still a recognizable name, has suffered from a lack of attention. Although many will generally remember him as an evangelist, many have forgotten key aspects of his remarkable life.

He was born into poverty and lost his father when he was just a few weeks old. He had to work to support the family and never finished high school. When he was a young man, he played for an amateur baseball team, was noticed, and signed to a major league contact. He was speedy and dependable, but lived the kind of rough life that was common in baseball.

Somewhere around 1886, he and some friends went to a mission church to check it out. He kept attending until he determined to give his life to Christ. His fame allowed him to immediately begin speaking. Not long after that, he began working in evangelistic endeavors.

He became a flamboyant revival preacher, pleading with people to become Christians and live an exemplary life. Sunday once said, “Sinners can’t find God for the same reason criminals can’t find a policeman; they aren’t looking.” He also said, “Whenever a day comes when I can stand and preach God’s Word without an agony of anxiety lest the people will not accept Christ; whenever a day comes when I can see men and women coming down the aisles without joy in my heart, I’ll quit preaching.”