Fans Flock to Honor King of Rock

“We just wanted to be close to Elvis at this time. It’s such a special year,” said Lorraine Punter, 23, of London, echoing the sentiments of the thousands who visited Memphis, Tenn., to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. “Elvis International Tribute Week” wound to a close as fans, including some of the 25,000 people who had joined in an overnight candlelight procession past Presley’s grave at his Graceland mansion, attended a memorial service for the singer at Memphis State University. Presley was 42 when he died of a heart attack on Aug. 16, 1977. More than 50,000 people took part in this year’s tribute. “This 2003332972expected it to be,” said Todd Morgan, a spokesman for Graceland tour operators.

--A Polish man who came to America to earn money to help his son walk and then was shot in the face by thieves, wants to share some of $100,000 raised on his behalf. “I feel this is my moral duty,” said Witold Wroblewski, 38, who faces a year of facial reconstructive surgery in the United States. Wroblewski was shot while working a 20-hour day at a gas station outside Riverhead, N.Y. He was trying to save $15,000 for surgery on the crippled legs of his son, Wojtek, 7, who has cerebral palsy. Reports of the June 4 attack brought donations from across the country, and a fund at Riverhead Savings Bank has reached $102,000. Wroblewski said some of the money will be given to a hospital in Bialystok, Poland, where the family lives. “They do unbelievable things with primitive equipment,” Wroblewski said.

--Members of the team that coasted to a 22-4 record in their first season in the Enfield, Conn., Slo-Pitch League may think it’s a crime that they can’t join in the playoffs. But Somers State Prison officials refuse to let them out for away games. The team members are all prisoners. During the regular season, other teams agreed to play against the inmates on the prison’s diamond, but they were unwilling to cede a home advantage in the playoffs. “The prisoners may not understand that there are problems on the outside too,” league President Tony Romano said. “We can’t give them all the advantages.” Romano hopes the winners of the playoffs will take on the prison team in a consolation game or series next week. Prison softball has some unusual ground rules. Visiting players must enter the prison at one time and lock their clothes and valuables up together. The visitors can bring only three bats, which are shared by both teams, to minimize the presence of potential weapons, Romano said.