Remembering Billy Graham’s visit to Baltimore

The Rev. Billy Graham, who died Wednesday at age 99, brought his powerful message of Christian faith to Baltimore three times — first to the Lyric in 1949, when the 30-year-old was seen as a rising star on the evangelical circuit, and last as an 87-year-old at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 2006.

But the peak of Baltimore’s relationship with Graham came in 1981, when his crusade called Memorial Stadium home for eight days. During June 7-14, thousands of people flocked at 7:30 p.m. every evening to the longtime home of the Orioles and Colts to hear Graham’s message; by the time it ended with a Sunday afternoon service, crusade officials estimated the total attendance at 234,100.

“While in Baltimore, Graham seems to have taken no drastic new positions,” longtime Sun write James H. Bready wrote. “He stressed the decency ethic, honesty, work, patience, patriotism, home and family; he denounced the standard lineup of drugs, alcohol, lust, greed, instant gratifications in general. World affairs were scanted.”

Graham’s message, regardless of how standard it might have been, resonated with many of those whocame to hear him. “We know that people need this experience,” Jean Ulrich, seated in the first row of the stadium’s lower deck, told Sun reporter Mark Parrent on Day 5. “This is the only thing that will change people’s lives.”