DIANE MAKAR MURPHY Pool hall hustlers rack their brains for ways to help a good cause

Sunday, I'm sprawled out on the floor, my son is kicked back on the sofa, and we're watching Fast Eddie lose $17,000 to Minnesota Fats, in black and white on TBS.
A day later, I'm writing about Racks Cafe -- a pool "hall" -- and a kid named Mike Flick, whose only hustle is to get some quick cash ... for the American Cancer Society.
Ain't life interesting?
A scant three weeks ago, the co-owner of Racks, Dennis Leedy, and a few young customers were sitting around brainstorming. Business was down, and Leedy, who launched Racks in Niles three years ago with partner Greg Hartley, wondered aloud how to bring in more customers.
Flick, one of the brainstormers, had his own agenda -- the Relay for Life was coming to his high school, Niles McKinley, in May. "The Cancer Society is a good cause. I suggested it," Flick said. It caught on.
"Once we saw the enthusiasm, we knew it was a good idea," Leedy said.
The event
The result is "Rackin' Up for a Cure." Leedy has volunteered his 14 pool tables for a 24-hour pool shoot-out at Racks starting April 9.
And Flick and his co-conspirator, Dawn Delvaney, have arranged the rest. Delvaney normally organizes a weekly 8-ball tournament at Racks, so she stepped right in on cue. So did the other hustlers from Racks.
"We've got 87 volunteers who have each committed to raise a minimum of $50 in donations before the event," Flick said. "Unless a few have to work, all will be there shooting pool all night long."
About a third of the volunteers are high school students, and the rest are pool hall customers. They will be formed into five-man teams with a captain and four other ersatz sharks.
The American Cancer Society representative, Pamela Marshall, took to the idea, mainly, said Flick, because "Our expectations were so high."
"We'll have $4,350 to give to the Relay for Life if we meet our minimum. And a lot of the guys have gone over. I have a hundred or so," he said. Moreover, said Flick, "Everybody donated ideas and time. We sat down and pooled ideas from everybody at Racks. We shared ideas and discussed it."
As a result, it's rolled into something even bigger than a pool shootout. "It boggles my mind how my little idea turned into this festival," said the 17-year-old high school senior. While the volunteers will face 24 hours of shooting pool, the fund-raiser will also feature 14 hours of games, food, pool playing and watching, and a Chinese auction open to the public.
In addition, they've arranged for their own version of Fast Eddie to go head to head with anyone willing to dish up a dollar. The ideas just kept rolling in.
"The amazing thing is a bunch of pool jockeys -- guys who just sit in a pool hall -- are now working their tails off to make this happen," Flick said. "It's amazing how hard they'll work for the cause. It blows my mind!"
Each team of hustlers is charged with creating a basket for the Chinese Auction -- like one filled with video games, and another with Italian dinner items -- in addition to soliciting donations.
Flyers have been created and distributed, media has been contacted. "I work two days a week and go to school, but every day after school, I'm making fliers and going to businesses. I'd say I've spent seven hours a day over a week's span," Flick said.
One volunteer is a carpenter who is building a wishing well to place at the door. The group hopes to catch some coins the night of the pool shootout, as well as raffle off the well at the Relay for Life the following month at McKinley High.
"I can't believe how big it's getting," Leedy said. "It may be a yearly thing."
The finish line
Organizing and executing may be tough, but the most grueling part of the effort will come the morning of April 10, when around 87 exhausted pool hustlers are falling asleep in their chalk. Flick and his planners have thought of that too, though. They've planned a potluck for after the public goes home at 2 a.m. and a black-light pool tournament to keep enthusiasm high.
This will be Flick's parting shot as a Relay for Life volunteer at McKinley High. Next year, it's on to YSU with a media broadcasting major. I have a feeling it won't be a long shot.
Racks is at 54 S. Main St. in Niles and the public is welcome to "Rackin' Up for a Cure" from noon April 9 to 2 a.m. April 10. For information, call Racks at (330) 652-9419.
murphy@vindy.com