Bradenton Beach’s Drift-In AMI is preparing for a milestone this fall — a 100th anniversary celebration — and thanks to a longtime patron’s generosity, the festivities will include the donation of a piece of baseball history.
Gary Staniec, a longtime seasonal visitor to Anna Maria Island, is donating a game-used 1934 Louisville Slugger once owned by George Herman “Babe” Ruth. The bat will be mounted permanently on the Babe Ruth Tribute Wall at the bar, 120 Bridge St.
Staniec, a self-described sports fanatic and memorabilia collector, found the bat at a card show through a friend who knew he wanted it for the Drift-In.
Staniec said he was inspired after learning of Ruth’s ties to the bar and seeing Ruth’s signature for the deed to the bar displayed on its wall.
“I said to Derek, you need some stuff that Babe Ruth owned in here,” Staniec recalled.
According to the Drift-In’s website, Ruth — known to sportswriters of the 1920s as “The Sultan of Swat” for his consistent ability to hit home runs — went from customer to owner of the bar. Ruth, who owned a bungalow in the city, was a regular at the local watering hole. The story goes like this: One summer night, after an evening of drinks and dancing, the ballplayer and his friends left without paying their tab. Ruth returned the next day to make things right and, after a conversation with the owner, an agreement was reached that ended with Ruth taking over the business. He owned the bar for several years, in part as a tribute to his father, George Sr., who had also been a bar owner.
Flash forward many decades and the Drift-In AMI operates under the ownership of Derek and Helena Williams, who purchased the business from Helena’s parents in December 2022.
Derek Williams said the donation was motivated by Staniec’s love for the island and the bar’s legacy.
“He wanted to give back to the island community and his favorite bar,” Williams said. “He’s been a regular… .He’s been coming to Anna Maria Island for years.”
According to Williams, Staniec spent more than a year searching for the bat after losing out on a previous bid. Once he secured the bat, Staniec built a custom mount to ensure it could be permanently displayed at the bar.
“He made it and then he made the plaque. The year the bat was used was 1934,” Williams said. According to the “Baseball Almanac,” Ruth hit 13 home runs in the 1934 regular season.
The date of the bat’s installation is pending.
“If he (Gary) wants to come for the 100th anniversary, then we’ll do it then,” Williams said.
The Drift’s centennial celebration is still in the planning phase and is tentatively scheduled for late September, pending permit approvals.
“Since we’re a bar with live music, I’m sure we’ll just have fun and games … kind of an open house type of thing,” Williams said.