William Ashley Sunday, better known as Billy Sunday, was born in a log cabin in Ames, Iowa, in 1862. He never knew his father because he died from pneumonia in a Civil War camp in Patterson, Missouri, when Billy was only one month old. His mother was so poor that she put Billy and his brother in an orphanage.

Billy left the orphanage and set out on his own.  He held a variety of low-paying, labor jobs until the owner of the Chicago White Stockings, "Cap" Anson, saw him playing baseball in Iowa and decided to try Billy out on the team.  Once Billy arrived in Chicago Cap decided to try him out against the teams fastest runner.  Billy had no running shoes and ran the race barefoot, but still won by about 15 feet!  He was immediately signed for the team and played for the White Stockings for five seasons.  He also played two seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies, and two years with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His lifetime slugging percentage was .317 with a .427 being his highest season average.  In his 8-year career, he stole 92 bases, which was only beaten by Ty Cobb with 96.

Billy was paid the very large sum of $5,000 a year in 1890. In his 8^th year of professional baseball, Billy walked away from his baseball career and this very large salary to accept a position in the ministry that only paid him $84 a month. What would cause him to make such an abrupt change in the middle of an apparently successful career?            

One evening while in Chicago, Billy and his baseball teammates had been out drinking. As they were leaving a saloon, they walked by some gospel singers from  the Pacific Garden Mission. They stopped to listen. Billy's heart was touched by the songs, and when invited to a service at the Pacific Garden Mission, he was the only ball player to accept.

The next night, he heard a clear presentation of the Gospel. He was told that all men are sinners. Romans 3:10. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"  Billy had no problem believing this scripture. He had spent many a night drinking the hours away. Romans 3:23  says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Billy started to feel the conviction.

Billy learned from Romans 6 :23 that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  God provided us with a way out. Romans 5:8 says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

This was great news for Billy and millions of others, but the game clincher came when Billy heard that, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13

           What great news!  All Billy had to do was call upon the name of the Lord and he would be saved. Romans 10:9-10 told him how to do that. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and  with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

The wife of the mission director, Mrs. Sarah "Ma" Clark, asked Billy to bow his head and pray . His prayer was not unlike many others who had prayed for salvation. It went like this:

"Dear Lord, I know I am a sinner; if I died now in my sin, I would go to hell. Right now, by faith, I am trusting you as my Saviour and my only hope for Heaven. Thank you for dying on the cross for me, and for saving me from an eternity in Hell. In Jesus' name Amen."

You can make that same decision today. If you believe that you are a sinner, and that Jesus died and shed his blood on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins, just say the above prayer and mean it with all of your heart, you, too, can be on your way to Heaven when you die. Please e-mail me at tvogel@fbcbaseball.com and let me know about your decision.

Billy Sunday gave up baseball and went on to become one of the greatest preachers of all time. He preached to millions of Americans, winning many millions to Christ. They got saved the same way everyone does, by faith in Jesus Christ.