Knoxville, TN
Knoxville is located in eastern Tennessee, at the confluent of the Holston and French Broad Rivers, where they join to form the Tennessee River, at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains. It is located 100 miles northeast of Chattanooga, TN.
Knoxville hosted professional baseball as long ago as 1897, with the first Minor League Baseball team playing there in 1910. The city floated upward in classification levels over the years, hosting an affiliated team more often than not through 1954. During the 1956 season, the Montgomery Rebels of the Class A South Atlantic League moved to Knoxville and - although it is now a Double-A club - that is the franchise that is returning to Knoxville from the suburbs with the opening of the Knoxville Multi-Use Stadium.
Teams that have played here[edit]
Years | Team | League | Ballpark |
---|---|---|---|
1897 | Knoxville Indians | Southeastern League | |
1904 | Knoxville _____ | Tennessee-Alabama League | Chilhowee Park |
1909 | Knoxville Appalachians | South Atlantic League | Chilhowee Park |
1910 | Knoxville Appalachians | Southeastern League | Chilhowee Park |
1911 | Knoxville Appalachians | Appalachian League | Chilhowee Park |
1912-1914 | Knoxville Reds | Appalachian League | Chilhowee Park |
1921-1924 | Knoxville Pioneers | Appalachian League | Caswell Park |
1925-1929 | Knoxville Smokies | South Atlantic League | Caswell Park |
1931-1944 | Knoxville Smokies | Southern Association | Smithson Stadium |
1946-1952 | Knoxville Smokies | Tri-State League | Smithson Stadium |
1953 | Knoxville Smokies | Mountain States League | Chapman Highway Park |
1954 | Knoxville Smokies | Tri-State League | Knoxville Municipal Stadium |
1956-1963 | Knoxville Smokies | South Atlantic League | Knoxville Municipal Stadium/Bill Meyer Stadium * |
1964-1967 | Knoxville Smokies | Southern League | Bill Meyer Stadium |
1972-1979 | Knoxville Sox | Southern League | Bill Meyer Stadium |
1980-1992 | Knoxville Blue Jays | Southern League | Bill Meyer Stadium |
1993-1999 | Knoxville Smokies | Southern League | Bill Meyer Stadium |
2000-2019 | Tennessee Smokies | Southern League | Smokies Park |
2021 | Tennessee Smokies | Double-A South | Smokies Park |
2022- | Tennessee Smokies | Southern League | Smokies Park |
* In 1957, the ballpark originally called Knoxville Municipal Stadium was renamed Bill Meyer Stadium.
Persons who were born here[edit]
- Bob Baird, pitcher
- Chad Bell, pitcher
- Deke Brackett, college coach
- Nick Brannon, minor league pitcher
- Michael Brown, minor league pitcher
- Ken Burkhart, pitcher; umpire
- John Byington, minor league infielder and college coach
- Trey Cabbage, infielder
- Frank Callaway, infielder
- Stanton Cameron, minor league outfielder
- Brett Carroll, outfielder
- Sam Clay, pitcher
- Ralph Cleage, outfielder
- Mark Davidson, outfielder
- Nick Delmonico, outfielder
- Carl Doyle, pitcher
- Jess Doyle, pitcher
- Tom Dukes, pitcher
- Roy Evans, pitcher
- Buddy Gilbert, outfielder
- Todd Helton, infielder; Hall of Fame
- Charlie Henry, pitcher
- Nick Hill, minor league pitcher
- Bert Hodges, infielder
- Ben Joyce, pitcher
- A.J. Kirby-Jones, minor league infielder
- Dan Leahy, infielder
- Michael McKenry, catcher
- Greg McMichael, pitcher
- Billy Meyer, catcher; manager
- Mike Milchin, pitcher
- Bill Monroe, Negro Leagues infielder
- John Murrian, minor league catcher
- Matt Reynolds, pitcher
- Art Ruble, outfielder
- Doris Sams, AAGPBL outfielder
- Steve Searcy, pitcher
- William A. Smith, minor league manager
- Ben Swaggerty, minor league pitcher
- Lane Thomas, outfielder
- Bubba Trammell, outfielder
- Kyle Waldrop, pitcher
- Chris Zachary, pitcher
Persons who died here[edit]
- Ed Bailey, catcher
- Jute Bell, pitcher
- Bill Brennan, umpire
- Hobe Brummette, minor league outfielder
- Ken Burkhart, pitcher; umpire
- Frank Callaway, infielder
- Sumpter Clarke, outfielder
- Ralph Cleage, outfielder
- Wilson Collins, outfielder
- Carl Doyle, pitcher
- David Gennoe, minor league player
- Bert Hodges, infielder
- Bonnie Hollingsworth, pitcher
- Dan Leahy, infielder
- Pat McGlothin, pitcher
- Billy Meyer, catcher; manager
- Frank Moffett, college coach
- Al Neil, minor league outfielder
- Lefty Stewart, pitcher
- Frank Waddey, outfielder
- Kay Webb, AAGPBL pinch hitter
- Earl Williams, catcher
- Harry Wilson, catcher
- Chris Zachary, pitcher
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