Elvis VS Ricky

Today is my cousin, Lee's birthday. It also would have been Elvis Presley's 82nd. Lee happens to be a big Elvis fan. So as a gift to my cousin and a tribute to "The King" I'm going to share an Elvis story that I heard sometime last fall. 

While running errands one day, last fall, I was listening to a special program on Sirius XM radio that featured the sons of Ricky Nelson, Matt & Gunner. They were playing the music and sharing stories about their father. One of them I had never heard before so I want to share it with you. 

Please keep in mind that I am recalling this story on a third hand basis months after I heard it. I will do my best to share the details to my best recollection. Hope you enjoy this. 

In the late 1950s Ricky Nelson burst on the pop culture scene becoming a star by singing on his parent's TV show, The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, each week. He was so popular that he became a rival of Elvis for the top spot as America's teen idol. 

One day seemingly out of nowhere, Ricky received a call from Elvis challenging him and his friends to a "friendly" game of football that next Sunday. Nelson agreed. 

When the two groups met on the field, Presley had brought his "Memphis Mafia" made up of guys of above average size. Nelson just brought his friends who's physical prowess paled in comparison. 

As you might expect the Elvis entourage put a hurtin on the Nelson team. Nevertheless they agreed to meet again the following week. 

But Nelson wasn't going to let the same thing happen. One of the actors his father, Ozzie, used quite frequently on their weekly TV show happened to also play for the NFL's Los Angeles Rams. 

The next weekend when the game commenced Elvis, once again brought his Mafia but Nelson brought a bus full of LA Ram lineman. Ricky got his revenge. Needless to say, that was the last week the two idols met on the gridiron. 

Interesting story right? Well, there's more to it. 

The Nelson twins stated that years after their father's death they happened to meet Priscilla Presley who told them this story. 

One morning she and Elvis were sitting around having breakfast. She had seen Rickey Nelson on TV and that she thought that he was kind of cute. 

As it turned out that breakfast took place on morning of the very same day Elvis made the call to challenge Ricky to a "friendly" game of football. 

Now you know the rest of the story.