See the list of Latter-day Saint apostles who have thrown baseball’s ceremonial first pitch

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Apostles have thrown ceremonial first pitches at Major League Baseball games for a couple of decades now, including the one thrown last week by Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

So, which apostles have thrown first pitches through the years? Here’s a comprehensive list:

• Elder Stevenson threw out the first pitch before a Kansas City Royals game in Missouri on Aug. 6.

• Elder Dale G. Renlund tossed the ceremonial first pitch as part of “Latter-day Saint Night at Camden Yards” before a Baltimore Orioles-Tampa Bay Rays game in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 25, 2022.
• Elder David A. Bednar threw out the first pitch for the church’s Family Night at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, on July 22, 2019, before a game between the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics. Elder Bednar threw a strike from the mound.

• Three days earlier, on July 19, 2019, Elder Neil L. Andersen was the honorary pitcher before a Los Angeles Dodgers game against the Miami Marlins in Los Angeles. See his throw from the mound here. This was the year the name of the annual church event at a Dodgers game changed to Latter-day Saint night instead of Mormon Night.
• Elder Ronald A. Rasband handled the first-ball ceremonies at the Los Angeles Angels game in Anaheim, California, on July 27, 2018, before a game with the Seattle Mariners.
• Elder Stevenson threw out his first ceremonial first pitch as an apostle at a Los Angeles Angels baseball game in Anaheim, California, for that team’s 19th annual Mormon Night game against the Chicago White Sox on July 15, 2016.
• Elder Andersen also was the honorary pitcher before a Dodgers game on July 1, 2016.
• Elder Bednar threw out the first pitch before a Dodgers-Cardinals game on June 27, 2014.
• Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, now acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve, enjoyed the honor before a Dodgers game in L.A. with the Philadelphia Phillies on June 28, 2013.
• Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf was a counselor in the First Presidency when he threw a first pitch before a Dodgers game against the Mets on June 29, 2012.
• Elder Quentin L. Cook threw a strike at Dodger Stadium before a game between the Dodgers and Washington Nationals on July 22, 2011.
• Elder M. Russell Ballard was the honorary pitcher at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 6, 2009.

• The late Elder Robert D. Hales threw the the ceremonial first pitch right into the glove of his catcher, Elder Nelson D. Cordova, a newly called Area Seventy, on July 19, 2007 during a night for Latter-day Saints at Dodgers Stadium.
• The late Elder L. Tom Perry threw a first pitch before a Red Sox game in Boston against the Royals on May 8, 2004. Who knows, maybe the Red Sox fan throw contributed to breaking “the Curse of the Bambino” as the team ended the season by winning its first World Series in 86 years.

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If you know of another Latter-day Saint apostle who threw a ceremonial first pitch, let me know at twalch@deseretnews.com.

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Behind the Scenes

Apostles aren’t the only general church leaders who have thrown a ceremonial first pitch.

Relief Society General President Linda K. Burton threw out the first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game on July 10, 2015.