DAILY DIRT: Elvis never really cared to travel outside the U.S.

From Elvis to groundhogs, we have it all for you today … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 622 of The Daily Dirt.

1. There’s never really a bad day for a little Elvis Presley trivia, correct?

Here are my three favorite medal-worthy Elvis items that crossed my path over the Memorial Day weekend:

Gold medal: Despite being a global sensation — an estimated 40 percent of his record sales actually occurred internationally — Elvis performed outside the United States only three times. He headlined three 1957 concerts in the Canadian cities of Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver.

Silver medal: Surprisingly, Elvis was a natural blond, you’d be hard-pressed to find evidence of that only one known photo exists. The picture is of Elvis at a young age, which hangs on the wall of Graceland. From a relatively young age, Elvis dyed his hair jet black with shoe polish — which was cheaper than hair dye — in an effort to make his blue eyes stand out. Elvis also began applying eyeliner to further accentuate his eyes around 1960, a trick he reportedly learned from actor Tony Curtis. As Elvis rose to fame, he continued to dye his hair to maintain his image, though he eventually shifted from shoe polish to a patented hair dye combination of Miss Clairol 51D and Black Velvet/Mink Brown by Paramount.

Bronze medal:Despite recording more than 600 songs, Elvis was far from an accomplished songwriter. In a 1957 interview, he explained, “I never wrote a song in my life … I’ve never even had an idea for a song.” 

Even more strange, Elvis never learned how to read or write music. That didn’t stop him from being credited as co-writer on many tracks, since his label demanded that certain songwriters give up 50 percent of authorship for any songs that Elvis recorded.

2. Looking for something new to try and eat? Well, here’s an idea …

When the first Groundhog Day occurred on Feb. 2, 1887, in Gobbler’s Knob, Pa., groundhogs were celebrated not only for their predictive abilities but also for their — are you ready for this? — delicious flavor.

In the 1880s, groundhog meat was the preferred cuisine at the local Punxsutawney Elks Lodge, the same lodge responsible for conceiving of the original Groundhog Day ceremony. Locals loved the taste of the small rodent, saying it was “like a cross between pork and chicken.” 

Those crazy Punxsutawney folks would also indulge in celebratory potables like “Groundhog Punch,” an unusual concoction known to contain vodka, milk, eggs, and orange juice.

3. Baseball fans always hear a lot about the “immaculate” inning, when a pitcher strikes out three straight batters on a total of nine pitches.

But how about the innings when a pitcher sets down the side on just three total pitches? Which one of those phenomenons  happens more often?

There have been 114 immaculate innings in MLB history, the most recent from Johan Oviedo of the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier this month.

There have been 197 three-pitch innings, the most recent from Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins in September 2022.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — At any given moment, there are 1.522 billion chickens alive in the United States. I presume that number drops slightly each time I order chicken tenders at Steak ‘N Shake.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Gobbler’s Knob?