Vigilantes Are Ready to Play Ball

The city’s new minor league baseball team will be known as the Mission Viejo Vigilantes, officials announced Thursday.

The moniker was chosen by about 30 fans in a “name the team” contest that drew more than 700 entries, team officials said.

“It’s a relief not to have to answer the phones ‘Mission Viejo Professional Baseball Team’ anymore,” said team President Pat Elster. “It’s so nice to be able to say ‘Vigilantes.’ ”

In a brief ceremony, baseball jerseys with the new team name were handed out to city and college officials. The Vigilantes will start their season May 23 at Saddleback College.

Described in dictionaries as having a lawless, violent spirit, “Vigilantes” has been privately questioned by some city officials. But there was nothing but public support for the name Thursday.

“I think people in Mission Viejo will be more interested in supporting the team than questioning the name,” said Mayor William S. Craycraft. “Some people would have problems with the name no matter what was chosen.”

Elster predicted that the word’s western flavor--and a colorful new team mascot--will appeal to fans.

Even without the benefit of a name, Elster said, more than 500 season tickets have already been sold. The team plans to sell no more than 2,000 season tickets, he added.

The person who won a pair of season tickets for suggesting the name “Vigilantes” is not a resident of Mission Viejo.

“I was looking for a ‘V’ name that sounded western,” said Carol McDonald of Newport Beach, whose name was chosen in a blind drawing with the other 30 people who proposed naming the team the Vigilantes. “There’s not a lot of ‘V’ names that have a lot of oomph.”