Professional baseball comes to Napa

Napa Valley is getting its first professional baseball team, the Napa Silverados.

Opening Day for the minor league team is set for May 31 at Storm Field on the Napa Valley College campus, the college announced Friday.

The board of trustees Thursday approved a five-year agreement with the Silverados, owned by Bruce Johnston of Napa. It includes improvements to Storm Field, which will be used by the Silverados when the college baseball team is not playing.

'We're making a very significant investment in the college,' Johnston told the board. He said the team will also become part of 'the fabric of the community' by promoting nonprofit organizations during games and giving discounted tickets to youth groups and veterans.

The Silverados, a new team, has joined the independent Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Club, a four-team league which consists of the Sonoma Stompers, Vallejo Admirals, San Rafael Pacifics and Pittsburg Diamonds.

Johnston said he will be giving away $10,000 worth of game tickets on April 14 at the college's Open House celebration, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

'This opens a new era of family fun for the community and the college, which is celebrating its 75th year,' said Mary Ann Mancuso, the board president, stated in the announcement. 'We are looking forward to celebrating America's favorite pastime at the college 40 times each summer for the next five years.'