In 1957, Billy Graham and his team planned a six-week-long Crusade tour in New York. As the Lord moved, the Crusade services were extended, lasting 16 weeks. During the Crusades that were held in New York, 2.3 million were in attendance, with 61,148 indicating decisions for Christ. The final service that was held in the Yankee Stadium was on July 20, 1957, with 100,000 in attendance.

 “The Crusade initially had been scheduled to end on June 30, but the meetings running at capacity (or beyond) almost every night, the Crusade committee quickly decided to extend it by three weeks, with a closing rally planned for Yankee Stadium on July 20. From my standpoint, the decision to extend wasn’t so easy; by the end of those first six weeks, I was already physically depleted. I also had run out of sermons and was having to prepare a new one every day. Some nights during those later weeks, I sat on the platform and prayed silently, ‘O God, You have to do it. I can’t do it. I just can’t do it.’ And when I stood up, all of a sudden the words would begin to come – God giving strength and spiritual power in a way that could not be explained in human terms.The final service in Yankee Stadium on July 20 was truly unforgettable. The stadium was jammed with a record crowd of 100,000 people, with another 20,000 outside who could not get in. The heat was fierce – 93 degrees outside and 105 degrees on the platform – and how anyone (including me) managed to concentrate is still beyond my imagination. Vice President Nixon came and sat on the platform with us, extending greetings to the audience from President Eisenhower. That was the first time a national political leader of his prominence had attended one of our Crusades.”  

Billy Graham in Just As I Am

Learn more about the life and ministry of Billy Graham.