Tennessee Smokies
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Template:MLB Diamondbacks franchise
The Tennessee Smokies are a minor league baseball team based near Knoxville, Tennessee. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major-league club. They play in Smokies Park, located in Kodak, Tennessee (mailing address is Sevierville). Opened in 2000, the stadium seats 6,412 fans.
The nickname "Smokies" refers to the Smoky Mountains that dominate the east Tennessee landscape. The ballpark is in close proximity to the Southern culture tourist destinations of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.
Prior to 2005, the Smokies were the Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, and previously were known as the Knoxville Blue Jays when they were an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. However, the Cardinals purchased a Texas League franchise, the El Paso Diablos, which had been the D-backs' AA affiliate. The Cardinals proceeded to move the Diablos to Springfield, Missouri, where they are now known as the Springfield Cardinals. The D-backs picked up the Smokies as their new AA team.
External link
- Tennessee Smokies official site (http://www.smokiesbaseball.com/)