Card shark

For this month’s marketing schemes that just might work, we have Lyndhurst magician Rick Smith Jr.

Smith, who’s been a professional illusionist for 14 years, hopes his next trick will be to make his name appear this year in the Guinness Book of World Records. The feat: Card tossing. The record: 201 feet.

“I’ve thrown them 212 feet before so it should be no problem,” Smith says.

Smith, a former college baseball pitcher, says the key to tossing a playing card is proper finger placement.

“I throw them like a curveball,” he says. “You can hear it cut the air.”

Smith’s signature magic trick is to have an audience member pick a card, throw the deck of cards at a watermelon, and have the chosen card sticking out of the watermelon. Like any good magician, Smith won’t reveal how he does it.

Although he’s entertained the Cleveland Indians and other top corporate clients, Smith says a listing in the world famous record book will help boost business. Until then, he’ll just have to pass out business cards, which are printed on, of course, playing cards. How to reach: Rick Smith Jr, (440) 821-9549

Morgan Lewis Jr.