Preacher: Billy Sunday and Big-Time American Evangelism

In this detailed, diverting study of the life and work of evangelist Sunday (1862-1935), Bruns ( Knights of the Road: A Hobo History ) tells how the son of a poor Iowa family bettered himself by becoming a successful professional baseball player until turning to revivalist preaching after a religious conversion. With his wife Nell as business manager, Sunday then crisscrossed the U.S. for 40 years, energetically preaching a fire-and-brimstone message that promised damnation to anyone who did not accept Jesus Christ and reject sin, alcohol and Communism. A creationist, he also publicly denounced Clarence Darrow and H. L. Mencken from the pulpit. As the author points out, Sunday, though sincere and not personally corrupt, found the business of saving souls to be financially rewarding and so served as inspiration for today's televangelists. Photos not seen by PW. (May)