The Night Elvis Presley Stopped A Fight In Wisconsin

MADISON, WI — A little-known piece of rock-and-roll history lies at the corner of Highway 151 and 51 in Madison.

On the night of June 24, 1977, Elvis Presley was heading out of town after performing a concert at the Dane County Coliseum.

His entourage of two limousines stopped at a red light at the intersection, rolling to a stop in the 90-degree heat. According to a Journal Sentinel report, Elvis saw two men assaulting a teenager on the ground at the Skylane Standard Service gas station.

According to a Madison.com report, 20-year-old Bruce Frey ended up at that intersection that night - hoping to see Elvis at the airport. "I followed him up to the fight and I heard him say, 'I'll take you two on.' I saw him in a karate stance when he issued that remark," Frey said in a Journal Sentinel report.

The two men, and the apparent victim were stunned. Was that really Elvis?

Indeed, it was.

Today, Elvis is gone, the Skylane Standard gas station is gone, but a grave-like stone monument stands at the intersection honoring the day "Elvis Stopped the Fight."

The roadside marker, placed by the Suburban Wheels of Madison years ago, shows a metal image of Elvis pointing to the crowd, guitar cradled in his right arm, standing on his toes akin to scenes from "Jailhouse Rock." To the left of Elvis' used to be a plaque chronicling the fight scene, before vandals ripped it off.

52 days after the famous "Elvis Fight Scene," the King died.

Patch File Photo