A Knight of the White Apron is a bartender.  This page is dedicated to the best bartenders I ever new.  I have taken upon myself to declare that anyone mentioned on this page is offically a Knight of the White Apron.  Please feel free to nominate your favorite bartender in the commnets area and I will try and Knight them, so to speak.

George Lynch, Doc Fiddlers, NYC.  George was the greatest story teller I have ever seen.  He not only had masterful timing but he also did his own sound effects.  His greatest contribution was  to build a memorial flag pole to all the young men from the neighborhood who died in the Viet Nam War. 

Ed Callahan, Chambers Bar, NYC.  There was no one smoother behind the bar than Eddie.  He worked a very small very crowded bar with the ease of Fred Astair.   Always good humored and friendly.  Great sports trivia guy.

Lou Cavanaugh, Cavanaugh’s, NYC.  A true barman.  He was a handsome son of a gun so there were always ladies around Lou.  He was always a gentlemen bartender who ran a tight ship and did not subscribe to any trickery behind  the bar.  He was also not to be messed with.   I once saw him walk around a packed bar grab a misbehaving customer by the scruff of the neck, give him the heave how and most of the people in the bar had no clue.

Mickey Bayard, The Mad Hatter, NYC.  Bayard was a wildman with the quickest wit.  One of the first times I ever went to see him he had a bathroom plunger stuck to the top of his head.

Mike McCourt, Perry’s, San Francisco.  Mike is one of those McCourt’s.  His brother Frank wrote Angela’s Ashes and his brother Malachy is famous for being  famous.  Mike always drew a very upscale crowd which he would often cut to shreds with his quick witt and bawdy behaviour.  I loved every moment I ever sat across the plank form this man.

Seamus Coyle, Perry’s, San Francisco.  When he and McCourtworked together it was an act worthy of  any comedy team.  They were a riot together.

Tom Carney, Elaine’s, NYC.  For thirty years plus he stood behind the bar at Elaines waiting on Kings and Paupers and all with the same distane.   He was an equal opportunity offender.  He was also very smooth and charming and never let anyone get away with any kind of misbehavior.  Whether you were a rock star, ball player, cop or priest you were never above his barbs.

Lou Farragher, The Bunch of Grapes, NYC.  Lou was a big handsome fun loving guy.  He also happened to be one of the toughest guys I ever knew.  Lou was very funny and could impersonate almost anyone.  He was such a story teller that he actually went ot LA and BS’ed his way on to Kojack.  I will tell that full story at some later date.

Jack “Whitey” McAndrews,  The Alpine Tavern, NYC.  Whitey was a real gentleman bartender.  He worked in neighborhood bars as well as high end Saloons like Jimmy Westin’s.   He is mostly remembered for holding court at the Alpine Tavern for over twenty years in New York.  He was another bartender with a terrific sports mind, having been a real good basketball player himself.   He was also known for his generosity of spirit and pocket.  A throwback to the days when a bartender felt he was responsible for taking care of his customers.  

Whitey passed away recently and he will be missed but never forgotten.