A Tribute to Jack 'The Shot' Foley
Three Point Essay #32 | The incredible life of Jack The Shot and his brother Frank Foley
Here’s a three-pointer to open your mind.
FF
My grandfather, Frank Foley, is a living legend. What’s up G-man? I know you’ll read this more than once.
Now 86 years old, he was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Something I’ve heard all my life, sometimes from strangers, is “your grandfather is the man”.
Frank came to Worcester, M.A. from New York as a teenager. Obsessed with basketball, he earned a scholarship to play division 1 at Holy Cross. By then, Frank was 6’8”, and one of the few people into this new thing called ‘weight-lifting’. Many people describe him as a scary dude.
There has always been 2 versions of my grandfather, one on the court and one off. The one on the court is serious, intense, and often angry. The one off the court is much more relaxed.
But even off the court he’s still a serious guy. If you grew up in Brooklyn and saw world war 2 unfold as a child, you would be too.
He also has a tiger tattoo on his shoulder, spider tattoo on his bicep, and a love for assault rifles. He’s the last person you'd ever fuck with.
But there’s also a 3rd version of my grandfather, and that’s who he is when with his brother, Jack.
One day I was hanging out with Frank when a surprise visitor came. It was Jack and his wife, Gail. I’ve never seen my grandfather act so giddy. His entire body language, expression, and tone of voice changed. It shifted to a level of enthusiasm and joy that I had never seen from him.
It’s not that he doesn’t feel like this with his grandkids or amazing wife, Rosemary. I just don’t think he realized how different he acted when with his younger brother.
Meanwhile, I was sitting there, in awe of who I was in the room with. Jack’s last name was Foley, but he also had another name—’The Shot’.
The Myth that was Real
My grandfather told me that when Jack was playing hoops he ‘never even thought about passing.’
When they would play pickup games, Jack would always be the last selection. Even though he was the best player. The others knew if Jack was on their team, they wouldn’t get the ball.
Jack the shot, not Jack the pass.
The shot got BUCKETS. At Assumption Prep High School in Worcester, he was an All-American. He averaged 41.8 points per game his senior year. 41.8, in a time before the 3 point line existed.
Again, not Jack the pass.
Jack’s shot was famous for it’s effectiveness, but also for it’s weirdness. He would jump as high as possible, and release it from above his head as high as he could. Not fundamental. It didn’t look right. But with his athleticism and his 6’5” frame, it was unstoppable.
You can see it for yourself in some highlights from Madison Square Garden here (#32).
As he dominated Worcester high school hoops, a national spotlight started to shine on him. He received scholarship offers from Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas, Uconn, Boston College, and Providence.
He decided to stay home and attend Holy Cross, which was a national powerhouse at the time. It was also the school big brother Frank played for.
He lit it up in College. Back then, freshmen were not allowed to play on the team. Despite being short-changed a year, he still scored 2,185 (!) points as a Crusader from 1959-1962.
A 3x All-American, he averaged 28.4 points per game over his career, and 33.3 points per game his senior year. Both program records, Holy Cross retired Jack’s #32 jersey during a ceremony I was lucky enough to witness in 2011.
His success in college led to the Boston Celtics selecting him with the 18th overall pick in the 1962 NBA draft. It was a special time to be on the Cs. He played with many Hall of Famers—the likes of Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, and Tommy Heinsohn.
As a kid I was in awe when Frank would tell me stories about how he was sometimes allowed to watch practices of that historic team.
Jack was later traded to the New York Knicks, where he finished out his NBA career.
A fellow Holy Cross star and NBA player Togo Palazzi said that “Jack was drafted by the Celtics, who were in the middle of their great dynasty run, and they didn’t have an opening for him on their loaded roster.” It was even more difficult for him to earn playing time because right after the Celtics selected him, he had to leave for service in the Coast Guard, resulting in him missing training camp.
Despite a short NBA career, Togo said “I have spent my entire life involved with basketball, and Jack ‘the Shot’ Foley is the greatest shooter who ever lived.’
Legacy
Jack was a beloved teacher at South High in Worcester and a part time policeman in Barre; a true community man.
More than anything, he was a nature lover. He made many trips to Alaska with his wife and was passionate about photographing all the animals and scenes along the way. It seems he loved doing that most.
Unfortunately, Jack had Parkinson's disease during the time I remember knowing him, so our conversations were always limited.
One time when I was young though, he was visiting my grandfather while I was there. Frank told him that I loved playing basketball, and had a great jump shot. I received a nod of approval from Jack that I’ll never forget.
Jack Foley recently passed away. At his funeral, Frank gave one of the most emotional speeches I’ve ever heard.
To honor his legacy, Mark Epstein, a writer from Worcester, recently released a book about Jack's life and accomplishments. It’s called ‘Jack The Shot Foley - A legend for all time.’
My friends and I used to play basketball at a court off of Lincoln street called Holland Rink. I used to train there with Frank as well. They recently got new hoops, and the court is now named after Jack.
Whenever I'm home in Worcester I drive by that court. I always think of my basketball heroes, Frank and Jack, who practiced their games there every day.
You can buy Mark Epstein's new book about The Shot by clicking here. One quote from the book I loved:
Growing up in Worcester is unlike any youth experience anywhere. When you grow up in Worcester, you are prepared to take on most of the situations and challenges that a person will face throughout the rest of their lives. The grit, the dirt, the toughness, the courage, the guts, the friendships, the lessons learned, the determination, and the entire community will absolutely never leave most who grow up in Worcester.
My favorite quote from the book though, was about my grandfather:
Everyone looked up to Frank Jr. He was the basketball idol for all the playground hoop kids on Lincoln street.
I’ve always looked up to him too. I love you Gramps.
I love this wonderful tribute to your grandfather.
You brought your grandfather and great uncle to life! I have been hired by a relative to complete an extensive tree, and your branch is included. Let me know if you would like a copy as well. THis is wonderful writing!