Local man to play pool for 30 hours, raising money for ALS

WROXETER – Billiards is an activity that can be enjoyed at all ages and by players of all different levels of skills. Playing for a couple hours is fun - playing all night, even better. But for 30 hours? Now, that’s a commitment - an accomplishment that Ty Cross is aiming to complete from 10 a.m. on May 4 to 4 p.m. on May 5 at the Wroxeter Community Hall, all to raise funds for ALS.

What sparked this idea of a 30-hour 8-ball marathon, was Cross’ night-hawk nature.

“My wife and I play pool over at Wroxeter Hall, Wednesday and Friday nights. And it usually ends around 9:30 to 10 o’clock, so that’s a little early for me!” joked Cross.

He noted the older crowd at the hall like to “pack it in early.” A little too early for him. As he and his wife were driving home one Friday night he said to his wife, Fay, “‘Boy, I could play pool all night!’ cause I just love the game so much.”

When he got home that night, he thought more about his brainwave and the possibility of raising money for a cause. He then woke up on the Saturday morning and began to make a plan.

“I thought ‘I’m gonna do this and I’m going to see if we can raise money for the fight against ALS,’” Cross said.

ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal type of motor neuron disease. It is characterized by progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain according to John Hopkins Medicine. And Cross has seen first-hand how ALS has impacted members of the local community - and was inspired by their strength to raise money for this cause.

He originally planned to do a 24-hour marathon, until the morning but then he began thinking if he could do an extra six hours to get to 4 p.m, so that people can join at the hall Sunday afternoon and ultimately gain more donations.

“I thought I could go through the night, but that’s not really pushing myself because I’m resting on the day before and day after. So why I came up with that time frame is because when I get up Saturday morning, I may as well be playing pool,” joked Cross.

He’s hoping that people hanging out Sunday afternoon “might drop a little more cash in the jar”.

And there’s a slate of events being hosted co-existent with the 8-ball marathon at the Wroxeter Community Hall, all to support the marathon’s cause. Beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 4, there will be a vendor craft show in the upstairs of the hall. There will also be a licensed bar and a food booth run by his wife, with a delicious menu of foods being cooked up, from barbeque to a lasagna supper.

The band Lost Highway will be performing Saturday afternoon and evening as well as Sunday afternoon. There will be karaoke Saturday evening as well, and a silent auction and 50/50 tickets.

The community is invited to come out for a relaxed pool event supporting ALS, where friendly games of billiards, shuffleboards, and darts. You can also play against Ty during his 8-ball marathon. What sparked Cross’ love of pool was the encouragement that he received when he was younger.

“When I was about eight years old, we had a cottage on our farm, down near Campbellville, that had a pool table” Cross explained.

“I still remember the moment even today, and I’m 61 now, so us kids were allowed to play pool, it wasn’t just for the adults. So there was a red ball about two thirds of the way down from the corner pocket to the middle pocket, and I thought ‘I think I can cut that down and run it right down the rail into the corner pocket.’ And I tried and I made that shot.”

To which his uncle replied “Wow, what a shot Ty! Good job!”

And ever since then, he was hooked on the game. And what do you need to do to be a good pool player? “I would say,know your angles and be able to read the table.. it’s strategy,” explained Cross.

“The reason I love the game so much is that you can play at any level and have fun, and can be any age. You can be a responsible kid at eight or nine years old and then up into your nineties.”

He began playing at the Wroxeter Hall last November, where he instantly felt welcome.

“The people in the Wroxeter Hall, who run that - they are just so amazing. They’re like family.”

At the hall, there is only one table, so Cross created a 30-hour sign-up sheet for people to play against him.

“There was a 30-hour sign up sheet, it’s already full. But we’re not turning anyone away.”

And when he put out that time sheet - the most unlikely times 12 a.m. - 8 a.m. Sunday morning filled up first, illustrating the support this cause and event has gathered.

“It’s not me, it’s the whole community that has rallied around this.”

People are encouraged to stop by and donate while watching Ty complete his accomplishment.

All proceeds are going towards ALS, and donors can either contribute in person at the event or through the website - challengeaccepted.foundation/cause/8-ball-marathon-fundraiser.

Donations through the website go to remote ALS clinics in need, and money collected during the weekend event will go directly toward people in the local community who need financial assistance with their ALS battle. So far, Cross has raised over $1,000, and the event hasn’t even begun.

“If people come to Wroxeter Saturday or Sunday and have trouble finding a parking spot, that’s great!” laughed Cross.

Melissa Dunphy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Listowel Banner