I started the St. Patrick’s Day Bar None Suds Run in 1979 with the help of Curly McGinn. Curly owned the Sandcastle Bar (now Michael’s restaurant on Margaret St.). At his request the run ended at his bar and every year that it did, Curly, myself and the Strollers drank the place dry!
Key West artist and muralist Steve Heuel drew the shirt for me using the bar as his easel (see 1st annual t-shirt). For various and sundry reasons certain people were barred from one bar or the other so I got permission from the bar owners that a guy could "get a pass" for the run, hence the name.
It was an absolutely crazy race and everyone who actually ran in it blasted into a bar, chugged a beer, and then "purged" on the fly to the next joint. After a few years of guys and girls running and puking through an increasingly congested Old Town the event had to change to today's format, a "stroll".
The last time it was a race it was won by Key West's own Buco (Pantellis) who is the reigning champion. He still bugs me every year to bring back the run! Maybe next year, B!
Rick Dostal
founder and event organizer
