Ricky Nelson in San Diego 1959

September 21, 1959 19-year-old rock n roller Ricky Nelson flew into town Saturday afternoon for a swing session at Westgate Park and the girls went wild. He was brought here under the auspices of the fiesta del pacifico. His managers were afraid he might be mobbed so he was given heavy police protection, and it was a good thing. More than once, the girls started to move in on the stage and had to be held back. Ricky is used to it…he lost his shirt to a mob in Louisiana and had the doorknob torn off his hotel room at Indianapolis. He managed to escape Westgate Park simply because his friends had a car with the motor running parked behind the stage. When he left, he left in a hurry. The girls clapped, hooted, hollered, and cried…real tears while Ricky strummed his guitar and warbled away…can’t imagine what Elvis would say about this…