In January 1957, Elvis appeared on the Ed Sullivan show, and was shot from the waist up so young girls weren’t too turned on by his gyrating hips.

On March 17, he bought Graceland after seeing it once.

Eleven days later he was in Chicago for the first stop of his concert tour, performing at the International Amphitheater. Chicago hadn't seen anything like this before. 200 police, 300 firemen, and six ambulances were on hand, but 13500 Presley fans still smashed dozens of chairs, and collapsed a protective railing around the stage. (Photo: Elvis fan carried off by Chicago Police.)

But the Chicago fans also got a special treat that night. Elvis debuted his $2500 gold-leaf suit that the Colonel had made for him by Nudie Cohen. Elvis only wore the pants that night and the next night in St. Louis, before discovering that the gold leaf was coming off at the knees. He decided it was more important to drop to his knees than it was to wear this suit, which he also described as “clownish.”

While Elvis was wowing em in Chicago, the Cubs were in Mesa Arizona for Spring Training. They were really excited about two of their young pitching prospects, Dick Drott and Moe Drabowsky. Needless to say, neither of them quite panned out for the Cubs. Drott blew his out his arm through overuse, and Drabowsky was traded before he matured.

The next year Elvis went in the army and met Chicagoan Joe Esposito who became part of the Memphis Mafia. (Joe was later played by Cubs fan Joe Mantegna in the TV movie about Elvis in 1979—Kurt Russell starred as Elvis).

Because of stint in the army, and the film career he pursued when he was discharged, Elvis didn't return to Chicago again until June 16, 1972. As you might expect, the crowd went wild once again...

When Elvis came to the West Side in 1972, Billy Williams was on fire on the North Side. He homered in his fourth consecutive game to lead the Cubs past the Dodgers at Wrigley Field. Burt Hooten pitched the shutout. In fact, the Cubs swept the Dodgers in three straight; something they almost never did. Milt Pappas won the game during Elvis’ last night in Chicago.

Elvis came back to Chicago two more times before his death. October 14 & 15, 1976 at the Chicago Stadium and finally, May 1 & May 2, 1977. Lynn Van Matre reviewed that last show in Chicago this way in the next day's Chicago Tribune:

"Why Elvis was returning figured. Why the shows are sold out is a little harder, to figure. Surely all who feel a curiosity about the man who did so much for the cause of rock 'n' roll 20 years ago have had their chance to see Elvis. and the people who were actually old enough to rock along with Elvis when it was all happening should, I would think, find the sight of him mildly depressing these days. And yet, Elvis continues as some sort of musical national monument like Mount Rushmore or something of that ilk, except that Mount Rushmore doesn't put on weight and these are no rumors going around that the faces that grace it have had recent face lifts. But as far as showmanship goes, Presley and the Rush are about on a par."

Elvis was dead just a little over three months later.

Elvis was a big baseball fan, but was he a fan of the Cubs? No, sadly, he wasn't. He rooted for the Cardinals. He was a fan, however, of a man that is now associated with the Cubs: Harry Caray.

He even had a famous encounter with Harry, which was recalled by Harry's friends and colleagues in this video...

(Photo Credit: Elvis fan in Chicago/Bettman-Corbis)