Hunter Wright Stadium

Walking up to Hunter Wright Stadium, Aug-2012.

The majority of the seating is aluminum, but there are some bucket seats.

Looking out onto the field, the last of the East Tennessee sun shining on it.

Chronological Tour: Stop 176

• Location: Granby Road, north of Stone Drive (US 11W / SR 1), Kingsport, Tenn. (map it using Google Maps)
• Opened: 1995
• Home team: Kingsport Mets, Appalachian League (1995-2019), Axmen (2021-present)
• Capacity: 2,500

Rating: 3 baseballs

In the middle, in front of the press box and concession building, are three sections of blue bucket seats. Flanking this on both sides are sets of bleachers. There is a half-amphitheater feeling, as the ground rises behind the park to the first base bleachers, meaning home plate and first-base entry are from the top, while third-base entry is from ground level. Field dimensions are fairly standard, and outfield fence advertising is sparse. The view is of undeveloped land which is still mainly covered by trees.

Hunter Wright was a one-time mayor of Kingsport.

With the Appalachian League transforming from a rookie professional league to an MLB-sponsored college summer league for 2021, the club here will sport a name other than that of a major league affiliate for the first time. Kingsport’s team is now known as the Axmen, paying tribute to the band of frontiersmen led by Daniel Boone that laid out the Wilderness Road through Kingsport in the 1780s.