William Ashley Sunday ( November 19 1862 â `` November 6 1935 ) was an American athlete and religious person . He was an outfielder in baseball 's National League during the 1880s . William Ashley `` Billy '' Sunday ( November 19 , 1862 â `` November 6 , 1935 ) was an American athlete who , after being a popular outfielder in baseball 's National League during the 1880s , became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century .