The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-07-16
BILLY SUNDAY WAS A PITCHER ONE DAY
 ONLY IN HIS CAREER

Nearly every professional baseball player aspires to be a pitcher at some time in his career, and Billy Sunday, now playing in the Evangelist League but formerly with the Chicago, Phila- delphia and Pittsburgh clubs of the National League, is no exception. It was just a quarter of a century ago today, on July 16, 1890, toward the end of his baseball career, that Billy appeared in the role of a slab artist. It was a game between Pittsburgh and, Philadelphia, in the latter city, that the future evangelist got his one try 7Out in the twir1er's box.
 Although he had won his spurs in the outfield, Billy had long nourished in the innermost recesses of his bug gum the idea he could show the pitchers thing two in the art of pushing the pellet across the plate. He was veteran when he finally got the chance to demonstrate. Two pitchers had been knocked out of the box, and the game was apparently lost, when Billy was told to go in and display his pitching prowess It was a chance he long had sought, and mourned because he found it not, and he was tickIed most to death.
 In smiling confidence the future evangelist faced the first man up, who happened to be the pitcher of the opposing club The smile didn't last, however, for Billy discovered that the plate was an elusive thing, and in his efforts to find it he sent over four first Billy decided it was time to set tie down and do some pitching, and he faced the task with grim deter naination. This time he found the p1ate,{ and the batter found the bali for a three -bagger. The next man to attempt to solve the puzzle of Bill ly's delivery was content with a two- bagger. The next batter was unable to dodge quick enough, and the ball hit him on the chest. Before the inning was over four runs mad been scored from Billy's delivery, and he was retired. Billy decided that pitch ing wasn't so easy 1s it looked, and after that one fatal inning he aban- doned his ambition to shine in the box.
 diamond and became assistant secre- tary of Y. M. c. A. in Chicago, from which job he graduated into the evangelistic field in 1896. Sunday was member of Anson's pennant- winning Chicago club in 1885 and 18s6I and it was with the Anson az gregation that he gained his greatest fame as a baseball player. He led the center fielders of the National League in fielding while with Pitts burgh in 1888. His best record as a, batsnan was made while with Chi. cago in 1887. when he batted 1858. That was rather poor in that wonder full year for the swatters,f however, for 400 batters were commoner in 1887 than 300 battefs are now. In the National League that year Anson of Chicago led with .421, Den Brouthers of Detroit was second with .41S, and Ferguson of Philadelphia had an average of .421 and Sam Thompson of Detroit .406. In the old American. Association, the rival major league of that day. Pete Browning of Louisville batted All, Bob Carruthers of St. Louis .459, Denny Lyons of the Athletics .469, OsNeil1 of St. Louis .492. Robinson of St. Louis .426 Paul Radford of New. York .4O4, Stovey of the Athletics .402, Orr of New York .403. Mack of Louisville .410, Burns of Baltimore
 401. and Burch of Brooklyn 400. Billy Sundays little old 1859 was a trif1e in comparison with the feats of other swatters in that memorable year.