“If you drink like a fish, swim—don’t drive” is a popular bumper sticker. “If you drink like a fish, don’t drive. swim” was cited in print in July 1959 and credited to Chicago Air Cop Leonard Baldy.
New York City-born comedian Joe E. Lewis (1902-1971) told an audience in January 1960, “If you drink like a fish—swim—don’t drive.” However, there is no evidence that Lewis said this first.
Google Books
The Reader’s Digest
Volume 74
1959
Pg. 24:
Patter: If you drink like a fish, swim — don’t drive.
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
2 July 1959, Mexico (NY) Independent, pg. 5, cols. 3-4:
IF YOU DRINK LIKE A FISH
DON’T DRIVE**SWIM!!!
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
22 July 1959, The Times-Index (Cohocton, NY), “Local Happenings,” pg. >, col. 1:
If you drink like a fish, don’t drive. swim.—Chicago Air Cop Leonard Baldy.
13 August 1959, Greensboro (NC) Record, “Whole And Half Notes” by John Ademy, pg. A6, col. 2:
Now that little gem for the week: If you drink like a fish—swim—don’t drive.
18 August 1959, The Daily Messenger (Canandaigua, NY), “Comments,” pg. 4, col. 6:
If you drink like a fish, don’t drive, swim!—Chicago Air Cop Leonard Baldy.
23 January 1960, Rockford (IL) Register-Republic, “It Happened Last Night: Upside-Down Life Of Joe E. Lewis” by Earl Wilson, pg. 10 B, col. 9:
Joe E. also has a word of advice for audiences: “If you drink like a fish—swim—don’t drive.”
Google News Archive
11 February 1960, The Times (Brownsville, OR), pg. 7, col. 5:
If you drink like a fish, don’t drive, swim!—Leonard Baldy
Google Books
14,000 Quips & Quotes:
For Speakers, Writers, Editors, Preachers, and Teachers
By E. C. McKenzie
Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House
1990, ©1980
Pg. 143:
If you drink like a fish, swim. Don’t drive.
Google Books
The Fifth and Far fFner Than the First Four 637 Best Things Anybody Ever Said
Chosen and arranged by Robert Byrne
New York, NY: Fawcett Columbine
1993
Pg. ?:
133
If you drink like a fish, swim, don’t drive.
Bumper sticker
Twitter
Rick Brutti
@Rbrutti
“If you drink like a fish, don’t drive… swim.” Joe E. Lewis
3:32 PM - 5 Sep 2015
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
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Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
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