Joey Henderson, Janet Atwell and Adam Ratcliff
Coe & Jones split top prizes at ‘Play for the Cause’ Hurricane Relief Tourney
Whether it’s innocent lives lost in savage wars, school shootings or natural disasters, most of us harbor a comforting illusion that such things, and many more, happen only to ‘other people.’ Sad and often tragic, but somehow not really a part of our own lives. There is also the balancing and equally comforting reality that when such tragedies do occur, there is generally another group of ‘other people’ who step up to help those who’ve been affected. Often, though sadly, it seems as though there are never enough of those ‘other people.’
“Farewell, Anthony,” says Sweeney Todd, in the opening moments of the Stephen Sondheim musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. “I shall not soon forget the good ship Bountiful nor the young man who saved my life.”
“Oh, there’s no cause to thank me for that, sir,” Anthony responds. “It would have been a poor Christian indeed who would have spotted you pitching and tossing on that raft and not given the alarm.”
“There’s many a Christian would have done just that,” says an embittered Sweeney Todd, “and not lost a wink’s sleep for it either.”
When Hurricane Helene entered the western North Carolina/Virginia/West Virginia phase of its destructive path during the last weekend in September, WPBA veteran Janet Atwell was in Colorado, competing in the WPBA’s Olhausen Classic. In communication, during the tournament, with staff at her Brunswick Borderline Billiards facility in Bristol, TN, she learned that the storm had not had any significant effect on the building, beyond some minor leaks in the roof from the relentless rain, which, by Saturday morning of that weekend, had stopped.
Upon returning to Bristol, however, Atwell learned that the storm had wreaked significant, catastrophic damage in surrounding communities, only 30 or 40 miles away, in multiple states and directions, which affected close friends and acquaintances in the areas which defined her pool room’s name; Borderline Billiards, located on State St. in Bristol, TN, is literally across the street from the state of Virginia. Atwell, with cooperation and assistance from J. Pechauer Custom Cues, Olhausen Billiards and Brunswick immediately set to work, launching fund-raising efforts that continue to this day. Combined, including GoFundMe campaigns, the varied appeals have already raised nearly $10,000 in donations.
“And,” said Atwell on Wednesday morning (Oct. 23), “we’re just going to keep going.”
“We raised $825 in tourney donations ($25 from each of the tourney’s $80 entry fee was donated to the cause) and $700 in cash donations,” she added, “and Joey Henderson brought a $700 gift card for Adam Ratcliff and his family.”
A personal, pool-community friend of Atwell’s, North Carolina’s Adam Ratcliff had his home completely destroyed, forcing him and his family, with their six children to find alternate housing. Initially housed, temporarily, in an AirBNB, the family has recently been offered a trailer to live in. Ratcliff was given $5,000 to help buy a trailer and necessities to move what little he could salvage from what was left of his home. Joey Henderson, tour director of the Big Tyme On The Road show, in and around Alabama, drove up to Tennessee with his wife, Brandy, with a 24 ft. trailer, which was loaded with supplies and delivered to a supply point in Greeneville, TN.
Janet Atwell and Amanda Mann
“We also helped (WPBA competitor) Amanda Nichole Mann’s grandparents with $1,000 to kick start their rebuild,” said Atwell. “They lost their home and are currently living with Amanda.”
From nation-wide player memorials, fund-raising benefits and personal reach-outs via social media, this is generally how the pool community ‘rolls’ when members of its family become the ‘other people,’ stricken by tragedy and loss.
And speaking of rolls . . .
Coe goes undefeated to hot seat, splits top prizes with Scott Jones
Dustin Coe was presumably the beneficiary of a few good ‘rolls’ during his five-match march to the hot seat in the $1,000-added, ‘Play for the Cause’ Hurricane Relief Tournament that drew 33 entrants to the Borderline Brunswick Arena in Bristol. Their doing what it was all about – playing for the cause – earns them the narrative recognition of this report. Coe and Scott Jones, who’d won five on the loss side for the right to face Coe in the finals, opted out of a final match and split the top two cash prizes.
Coe faced Doug Shulz in the event’s hot seat match. Following a shutout over Amanda Mann, who may have understandably had other things on her mind, Coe moved on to down Mike Clevinger, Jacob Short, and in a winners’ side semifinal, Edwin Russell 7-5. Shulz opened with a shutout, as well, versus Hayleigh Marion and moved on to defeat Gerald Epling, Terry Wilson and in the other winners’ side semifinal, George Connelly 8-2. Coe grabbed the hot seat over Shulz 7-5.
On the loss side, Russell picked up the tournament’s eventual runner-up Scott Jones, who’d followed his winners’ side, quarterfinal loss to Connelly with victories over Marcus Pendley and Terry Wilson, both 6-2. Connelly drew Amanda Mann, who’d followed her loss to Coe with five straight, including the recent elimination of Travis Hutson, double hill, and Yoshiaki Kanamura 4-2.
Mann and Jones spoiled any ‘quarterfinal rematch’ hopes that Russell and Connelly may have had. Mann shut Connelly out while Jones defeated Russell 6-3. Jones ended Mann’s loss-side streak, but not before Mann had forced a double-hill final game that sent Jones to what would be the last match of the night, the semifinals. Jones downed Shulz 6-3 in those semifinals, ending the ‘play for the cause’ Hurricane Relief Tourney.
“Many thanks to those that donated and showed their support,” said Atwell, “including Joey and Brandy for coming up from Alabama and Robin Marion for helping to run the event.”
Atwell also gave a ‘shout out’ to the numerous, great volunteers on duty at the Care Center in Greeneville, TN who received the 24 ft. trailer’s supplies.
“We had a great weekend helping others,” she said. “It’s so nice to love your friends and neighbors. More people should try it.!”
Those looking for ways to reach out and contribute to the ongoing, fund-raising efforts aimed at hurricane relief, can reach out to (message) Janet on her Facebook page or log into her venue site at BorderlineBilliards.com.
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