60 years ago today - May 25, 1961

Several apostles "are gravely concerned about the pressures being put on missionaries to baptize to fill a quota of baptisms. . . .This of course[is] a criticism of President Moyle and many of the mission presidents working under his direction." Extensive abuses in "baseball baptism program" lead to counselor Moyle's censure in 1963, mass excommunications of European "kiddie baptisms" in 1964-65, and more than decade of avoiding baptism quotas for full-time missionaries. General authorities are haunted by memories of baseball baptism era and urge restrain upon youthful missionaries.

[Wilkinson diary, 25 May 1961, also 6 September 1960 as quoted in D. Michael Quinn, 'I-Thou vs. I-It Conversions: The Mormon "Baseball Baptism" Era', Sunstone Magazine 16 (7) December 1993: 30-44]

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