PERSONNEL: Baby Derby

Nine months ago, in honor of its 75th anniversary, General Electric announced that it would give five shares of stock to each baby born to an employee’s family on Oct. 15, the company’s birthday. It proved to be a rash promise, especially since it was based on the computation of William D. Haylon, the bachelor in charge of the baby derby. He had estimated that only 13 babies would be born. Instead, 180 were born in the 24 hours of the birthday last week. To their parents. G.E. will turn over about $71,000 worth of stock. But G.E. hopes to get a little of the money back. It announced a new nursing nipple made out of silicone rubber, instead of natural rubber. The nipples, said G.E.. will last more than a year and the holes will not clog and the nipple will not stretch out of shape.