9 Auto Parts Workers Win Lottery

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Nine auto parts workers whose factory is slated to close at the end of the year have something to celebrate: a $9 million Hoosier Lotto jackpot.

For nearly 16 years, the men — all current and former Delphi Corp. employees — pooled their money to buy $50 worth of lottery tickets each week. After buying $41,000 in tickets, they finally matched all six numbers in the July 1 drawing.

"This was the last week we were going to play. We made a joke leaving work saying, 'Wouldn't it be nice to hit the lottery this last time?"' said Dick Quinn, 59, who managed the workers' lottery pool.

The winners — Quinn, Ralph Flesher, Richard Howard, Charles Hughes, Monty Porter, Nicholas Gray, Jeff Fisher, Bill Harrison and Russell Deck — all decided to take the cash option, worth $3.7 million.

Each received an equal share of $370,000 before taxes, except Quinn, who got $740,000, Hoosier Lottery officials said.

"There used to be 10 of us, but one dropped out," Quinn said. "I picked up the cost of the extra ticket each week. I'm happy I did."

Seven of the men have retired or will retire from the Delphi plant, 35 miles northeast of Indianapolis, when operations cease there at the end of the year. One chose to transfer and another is a former Delphi worker who stayed in the pool.

Delphi is General Motors Corp.'s largest parts supplier. The automaker spun off Delphi into a separate company in 1999. Delphi has been offering buyouts and early-retirement deals to workers, and is shutting some plants as part of a plan to emerge from federal bankruptcy protection.