
Before Billy Graham, There Was Billy Sunday
From Our American Stories by iHeartPodcasts
May 1, 2026 · 19 min
About this episode
The episode explores the life of Billy Sunday, a former baseball player who became a prominent evangelist.
On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became evangelist Billy Sunday, William Ashley Sunday played professional baseball in the major leagues, known for his speed and energy on the field. In the 1890s, at the height of his athletic career, he walked away from the game and turned to preaching, eventually becoming one of the most influential evangelists of his time. Drawing on his background as an athlete and his dynamic speaking style, Sunday delivered sermons that drew massive crowds and resonated with everyday Americans. Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart , shares the story of how Billy Sunday’s message spread across the nation and why it had such a powerful impact. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
People in this episode
Host: Our American Stories
Guest: Robert J. Morgan
Topics covered
- evangelism
- baseball
- American history
- influence
- preaching
Keywords
- Billy Sunday
- evangelist
- baseball
- sermons
- American culture
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart
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