Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here , and subscribe to his newsletter here .

For the Knoxville Smokies, the 2025 season marked a new beginning and a milestone anniversary.

The Smokies, Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, returned to Knoxville this season following 24 years in nearby Kodak (where they were known as the Tennessee Smokies). They now play at Covenant Health Ballpark, a new facility located on the periphery of Knoxville’s Old City neighborhood in what was a warehouse district. Their debut season at Covenant Health Park came

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