MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - A sign on the wall at Wintzell’s Oyster House in downtown Mobile has promised free oysters to any man who turns 80 and walks in with his father. For decades, no one had claimed it — until now.
Jimmy Rush, who just turned 80, proudly walked into the downtown Mobile location with his 99-year-old father, Jim, and Wintzell’s made good on its promise.
The Rush men grew up in Mobile but now live in Florida. Visiting the downtown Wintzell’s location has remained a family tradition.
“My dad and I started riding in a parade at Mardi Gras on Friday nights,” Jimmy said. “So we would come down here on Friday afternoon and eat oysters. And that started in 1972.”
The sign promising free oysters to an 80-year-old accompanied by his father had been a focus for the Rush family for years. Jim’s son Carl said the family had been talking about it for decades.
“I can quote by heart, ‘Free oysters, to any man 80 years old, accompanied by his father,’” Carl Rush said. “So in seeing that sign, we felt like our dad was going to make it to 100 because he’s in great health. We’ve been talking about it as a family for 25, 30 years.”
Jimmy, Carl’s older brother, was the first of the siblings to turn 80. When the family asked the restaurant whether anyone had ever redeemed the offer, the answer was no.
“We’d asked the bartender had anyone else did it? No one had,” Jimmy said. “So we said, ‘We’ll be the first.”
Jim Rush, Jimmy and Carl’s dad piped up, “We’re the number ones.”
Jim Rush, 99, said he is in good health, aside from losing his vision. He is a World War Two and Korean War veteran and said he takes no medication.
“I’ve been very lucky and very well taken care of through my God and it worked out,” Jim said through tears.
The Rush men turned Jimmy’s 80th birthday into a large event, inviting about 60 family members and friends to Wintzell’s. Wintzell’s delivered a dozen free oysters to Jimmy.
“Never thought about any birthdays except my 80th,” Jimmy said. “That’s the one I was looking forward to — because of the sign.”
The family is already planning a return visit. Carl said he turns 80 in two years— at which point Jim would be 102.
“We will be back to do this all over again October of 2028 when I turn 80,” Carl said. “My dad says he’s going to make it, so that’s good enough for me.”
Jim said the only key to living to his age is to take it one day at a time.
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