The White Sox were leading in the ninth with two men already out. The crack as bat met ball could be heard across the entire field. Watching the ball rise, Bill knew it was far over his head, but still he ran. The bleachers, filled beyond capacity, had spilled many of their spectators over into the field. With an eye still on the ball and the crowd parting before him like the Red Sea before Moses, Billy was sure that the ball would go over the fence. Jumping over a bench someone had hauled onto the field, Bill stopped where he thought the ball would come down.
But he had guessed short. It was still going over his head. He jumped as high as he could, shoved his left hand out as far as it could go, and felt the thud as the ball hit his glove. The momentum carried him to the ground, but somehow he held onto the ball.
After the game the other players were on him, pummeling him and cheering him all the way to the clubroom. "Thanks, fellows," said Billy, "but it wasn't just me out there this afternoon. It wasn't just Billy who caught that ball; it was Billy and God."
A pro ballplayer who was also a Christian? No one ever heard of such a thing! But Billy didn't care. Whatever Billy did, he did with total enthusiasm - playing ball and telling people about Jesus.
The first record Billy set in the major leagues was one for the most consecutive strikeouts - thirteen his first thirteen times up to bat. His speed when he finally did start hitting, however, was hard to believe.
Did you find this review helpful?