Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-27
HOW BILLY SUNDAY, THE
EVANGELIST, GOT RELIGION
Had Found il Handy in His Work
as Professional Ball
Player.


' In the days of old, especially il
the times of the Greeks, athletics wer
part of the religious ceremony. TIL
competitors made votive offerings I,
their various divinities. and woul,
not think of entering on games with
out invoking divine aid. In the pres
cnt day the patrons of professional
sports may think such a custom lu
dicrous in the extreme. If you toll
fan" that religion had anything tt
do with baseball except by inter
fering with Sunday games, he would
smile incredulously.
As a matter OF fact professional
ball players take their vocation so Sc
riously that like Jack Cronin. the
Brooklyn pitcher. they will in game:
OF great importance, cross themselves
before each play. or be blessed by I
priest before going on the diamond
The Roman Catholic clergy patronize
baseball more generously than any
other kind of professional men. and
partly because most of the players
belong to that church; and therefore
they have a peculiar sympathetic and
vivid interest IN the sport
SO strong is their influence that
when Joe Kelly wanted to sign Mike
Lynch. the Brown university pitcher,
he enlisted the services of a priest,
who made the long trip from Cincin-
natl to Boston for the purpose of
persuading that much desired twirler.
But. unfortunately for Kelly. Bar
ney Dreyfus, owner of the Pittsburg
club. and of different persuasion
reached Boston first. and by a NUM-
ficent offer. secured a contract. BY
Catholic clergymen Sunday ball play
ing is literally regarded, but as an
instance. by the protest in New York
this year. Protestant ministers for the
most part hold il a dissertation of the
Sabbath. This feeling is shared by
many players. who. like Mathewson.
will sign no contract unless il ex-
empts them from playing on Sunday.
Cautiously enough. the man that
inspired this feeling, TO great extent,
was a famous ball player named Sun
Sunday-whose phenome-
nal catches were the talk of the
'rooters' a few years ago. He is an
evangelist now. and holds open air
meetings. TO which he gets as many
ball players as possible, urging them
to give up playing on the Sabbath.
The story of his conversion always
produces a profound effect.
HE was playing left field for Gin
cinnati at a Sunday game. where 90
100 people were present. An evange-
list had been trying for some time
20 convert him. and Billy could not
see the percentage. Finally after nu-
nervous Bible readings together Billy
began to waver. but he remained
skeptical on the power OF prayer, on
which the minister laid particular
stress
That's all right said Sunday,
obviously. but these answers don't
come quick enough for me.
49, Prove it. Call on God in your
lour of need-when you need lmme-
iiate aid returned the evangelist
".What. On anything? Sunday
said. half convinced.
ANYTHING insisted the evangelist,
even III Dali play . -,
This was Saturday night, and the
minister spent the next hour trying 10
make him give up the Sunday games.
We'll said Sunday. i guess you're
right about that; but I'll have 10 play
ball tomorrow, anyhow. There is no
,ody ON the bench than can take my
place and can't throw the team down
III tell you what, you come out with me
md see the game. Maybe you won't
hink il such a sin
II was an unusually exciting con-
est all the way through. with the
nome team one run ahead in the ninth
mining. The visitors, however. had
hree men on bases with two out, ana
good hard single would win the game
rhe next batter up laced out a line
iriye into the bleachers that looked
,ood for home run. The crowd went
Yelling mad-everybody standing up
irving at Sunday. who was sailing over
he field al top speed with his right
hand stretched out. Arriving at the
fringe of spectators inside the field,
Billy hesitated for a second.
Jump over them
"A home run, Rah, rah,'
Get IL, Get il, Get it,
But one voice rose TREMENDOUSLY
near to Sunday. Now pray II
>aIIed. Billy flashed a glance at the
nan and saw IL was the evangelist.
more excited than anybody else. With
his lips nervously twisted he hurdled
he line of fans, up three rows of seats
md TO the amazennent of the multitude
brought down his ungloved hand with
he ball nesting there.
when I heard you said Billy, after
he game, to the minister, I prayed
Lord. let me just catch this ball. and
never for me again on Sunday
Eta Main - afs>>.