Dr. Bob's Last Drink

As we approach the celebration of Founders Day I thought we’d take a look back at the story of ‘Dr. Bob’s Last Drink’ with a revisionist eye at the days and dates. The days, Sunday – Dr. Bob travels from Akron to Atlantic City to attend the AMA Convention – Monday – first day of the AMA Convention etc. are correct. These days, no doubt were cemented into the story line with the publication of Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers. However, Monday in the year 1935 was the 10th of the month, usually the date assigned to the day Dr. Bob took his last drink.

Attached to the re-telling of the story by Mitchell K is a review of the 1935 AMA Convention published by the AMA on June 22, 1935. In the second paragraph it is noted that the convention started on Monday, June 10th. Dr. Bob didn’t take his last drink until about 7 days after the convention started. So, the days and the dates don’t match. Does it matter? Not really. Will A.A. change the date of Founders Day? Probably not.

What is important is the story. That Bill realized that there was nothing he could do to stop Dr. Bob from attending the convention. He had to ‘let go and let God.’ Maybe Dr. Bob needed one more frenzied run with alcohol. We’ll never know. What we do know is that in June of 1935 Dr. Bob and Bill began to forge the program and fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous that has grown and flourished for 84 years.

This is why we celebrate Founders Day.