He was 92 and they say he died peacefully in his sleep this afternoon after being treated for heart and lung problems. Captain Tony Tarracino was a past mayor of Key West, elected in 1989 and he served a two year term. He was known as the owner of Captain Tony's Bar on Greene Street, however he did sell the bar some time ago. He hitched to Key West in 1947 on the run he said, from gambling debts he owed to the New Jersey mob. He claimed he had worked as a gun runner for the Cuban revolution and he was famous for saying "All you need in life is a tremendous sex drive and a great ego. Brains don't mean shit."
Captain Tony, from the defunct Key West Magazine
A new book about his life and exploits has just been published titled "Life Lessons of a Legend" though owing to his final illness Captain Tony was unable to appear at the book signing sessions at the oldest bar in Florida- sessions that spilled out into the street. He was a wildly popular figure in Key West.
6 comments:
Sail On Capt Tony
Hugs out to Marty & the kids
Sue
Detroit PHC
"...and there's still so much to be done..."
--Last Mango In Paris
Rest in peace Captain... Thanks for all the good times.
We send our love and light to Marty and kids and honor the memory of Tony....you helped us build our Parrot Head Club into the largest and strongest in the world. You will be missed tremendously but your spirit will live on with us eternally.
Fins Up and God speed,
Sarah Sunshine, Captn Harry and the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club
I'll miss my old New Jersey buddy.
Interesting cat. Glad I got to meet him. Nice quote. :)
meet him several times in the past 10 years. last year he gave my girlfriend a piece of paper that he wrote a few things about life and love. what an incredible man. we will miss you capt. tony !
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