By Joe Rector
Last Friday, I finally attended my first Smokies ballgame at the new complex. To say the experience was a good one is to understate the case. I was amazed at the new facility, its spaciousness, cleanliness, friendly employees, and food and drink selections. Much has changed since the last time I attended a Smokies game in Knoxville.
In my youth, I traveled to the old Bill Meyer Stadium to watch the Knoxville team. Over the years, that place had seen its share of events and crowds, and time had quite literally worn out the place. On one trip, I found a foul ball, and my excitement was bubbling. It soon ended when a gruff man with a rough appearance swiped the ball from my hand and strutted up to the gate to return the ball to the team. I left the game broken-hearted.
The ball team moved to Sevier County in 2000. I never knew what the reason for the move was or why the city government allowed such a thing to happen. The drive to the ballpark wasn’t an easy one. Crossing Knoxville during evening rush hour and slow poking toward the Dollywood exit was time-consuming and dangerous. The stadium was nice, but not enough people were willing to make the trip to see ballgames.
Our saving grace came from the actions of Randy Boyd. He bought the team and began making plans to return them to Knoxville. Boyd spearheaded the development of not only a new stadium, but also the properties around the area. Once known as a rough place, the section of town became home to condos and new businesses. They have thrived due to the home games. The pride in having a home team back in Knoxville has driven merchandise sales, and downtown is once again a destination for fans, visitors and college students.
The end of the Friday night game was a fireworks display. No one scrimped on the fireworks. Watching them reminded me of traveling to the fair each year. We’d spend most of the day riding rides, playing games in hopes of winning a prize, and eating corndogs and popcorn. We stayed until the fair closed because the highlight was always the fireworks. Those exploding colors were spectacular to a boy from Ball Camp. I had that same feeling as the Smokies lit the night skies with hundreds of explosions and the colors that burst from them.
I don’t think Randy Boyd receives enough credit for all that he and his family do for this “scruffy little town.” He is from Knoxville and evidently loves this place and invests in its successes. The head of PetSafe worked with others to provide numerous dog parks. Thousands of dog owners use those places to give their pets some fresh air and off-leash free time.
Not many folks would be able to run a successful business and develop an entire section of Knoxville. However, that doesn’t slow Boyd down one bit. He took over the reins of UTK, and he has worked tirelessly to improve the university in classrooms, building renovations, new building projects, and fundraising. Our state has much of which to be proud in the university system.
Knoxville has always been a bit slow to come around to new ideas. Let’s just say that folks are overly cautious when those things are introduced. With such good people as Randy Boyd, who care about the city and its services to the area, residents can feel good about the future of Knoxville.
For those of you who haven’t taken in a baseball game yet, try to make the trip. It’s well worth the time and money and will make you proud of the city of Knoxville. Oh, and if you see Randy Boyd somewhere, say “thank you” to him for all the improvements he’s helped to spark in this place we call home.
