Our trip to Memphis is occurring a few days after Elvis Week 2026 wraps up in Memphis, and along with the fact that the Cardinals AAA Minor League team is in Memphis, there was actually a fun connections between the Cardinals and the King of Rock and Roll.
Elvis Presley grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi until his parents moved the family to Memphis. When he was growing up KMOX Radio with its 50,000 watts could be picked up all over the country. Things were not like today; there were basically three or four local TV channels and the other entertainment was local radio or there were a few radio stations around the country you could pick up—and KMOX was one of them.
It’s been widely written that Elvis was a big sports fan, but did you know he once invited Harry Caray to Graceland?
Caray, who worked at KMOX Radio in St. Louis from 1945-’69 doing the play-by-play for the Cardinals, filled in with other duties at the station in the off-season, including doing the Saint Louis University Billikens games.
Presley could pick up the Cardinals games in the summer and Billikens games in the winter with his transistor radio and he became a fan of Harry Caray. You can imagine a young Elvis sleeping with a radio under his pillow listening to KMOX – until his mother checked in on him and made him put it away, as was the norm for kids of that era.
Years later when he was famous and lived in Graceland, the Billikens were in Memphis for a game and when Elvis heard about it he contacted the broadcaster at his hotel.
Harry Caray later said in a televised interview that Elvis told him he knew he would be mobbed if he tried to go to the basketball arena so he invited Caray over to Graceland. He sent a car to pick him up.
Caray commented that Presley was so thoughtful he suddenly realized, “have you had a chance to eat?” and when he said no, he had someone pick up ribs from his favorite barbecue place—Rendezvous, and the current owner Charlie Vergos recently posted the interview on the restaurant’s social media.
Evidently they drank, sang songs, and ate ribs and Harry Caray supposedly left at 5 a.m.
We wondered if Chip Caray had heard about this visit so we asked him.
“Yes, I’ve heard that story,” said Chip.
In honor of our trip to Memphis checking in on the Memphis Redbirds and Elvis Week, we realized there might be more similarities between Elvis Presley and the 2026 Cardinals than you would think.
Both arrived with youth and energy. Elvis brought a fresh sound and excitement to music, while rookie JJ Wetherholt has brought that same youthful enthusiasm and energy to the Cardinals.
Both had something to prove. Elvis had to convince the music world he belonged. Coming off his poor season last year, Jordan Walker had something to prove in 2026 — and his performance this season has helped answer those questions.
Elvis was famous for his swagger and confidence. The Cardinals have some of that, too, especially Masyn Winn, whose personality, confidence and style show every time he takes the field.
And both know something about putting on a show. Elvis was a show stopper and he left his signature scarves behind. Joshua Baez definitely put on a show in his major league debut — hitting three home runs in his first three at-bats, and the thing he left behind was an MLB record.
This young Cardinals team has been unpredictable, and even though they are in a “re-building year” they’ve remained competitive and given fans a reason to keep watching.
Who knows what will happen the rest of the season, but heading toward the stretch run, for the Cardinals it’s getting close to “It’s Now or Never.”
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Having more fun with the Cardinals and Elvis in Memphis
In a season that sometimes has had Cardinals fans “All Shook Up,” the 2026 Cardinals have refused to check into the “Heartbreak Hotel” and are playing with such heart, they’re still hanging around the National League wild-card race. There have certainly been times when fans might have been singing “Don’t Be Cruel,” but this young team keeps finding ways to make things interesting. Jordan Walker has emerged as an All-Star, Ivan Herrera has been an important part of the lineup; and fans “Can’t Help Falling in Love” with rookie JJ Wetherholt. With the addition of Joshua Baez, Cardinals fans another reason to “Follow That Dream.”
The Cardinals decided at the trade deadline that “A Little Less Conversation” and a little more planning for the future was in order, but the players who remained apparently didn’t get the message that they were supposed to go away quietly. Instead, they keep hanging around the playoff race. Maybe with the addition of the “ tarps off” crew, “I Just Can’t Help Believing’” could be the theme song for Cardinals fans. There have been “Good Luck Charm” moments, a few games that left everybody with “Suspicious Minds,” and certainly nights when fans were ready to say “That’s All Right.”
The team could still use a little bullpen help, but manager Oli Marmol is as loyal as a “Houndog” to his players.
Now the Cardinals have reached the point of the season when, to borrow another song from the King, “It’s Now or Never.” Or will there be “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” in September leaving Cardinals fans singing “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” There are still plenty of games left to find out. For now, the Cardinals are still in the race, still giving their fans something to watch and, in the spirit of Elvis Week, still hoping they can “Shake, Rattle and Roll” their way into October.
