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Growing up in a city called Worcester, Massachusetts, Mark “Pathfinder” Epstein develops an extremely close bond with his dad Charlie Epstein at a young age. Mark, (“Pathfinder”) loses his way when he spends every waking moment dreaming of a career playing in the NBA. Without any maturity and motivation towards his schoolwork, Mark finds himself in no-man’s-land when he is sent to Worcester Boy’s Trade High. It was during this time that Pathfinder realizes if he doesn’t grow-up quickly, he is going to have difficulties throughout the rest of his life.
Pathfinder studies privately while at Trade for the College Boards and does well enough to gain admission into Worcester State College. While in college, Mark gains maturity and motivation to become a good college student while also playing college basketball at Worcester State.
Upon graduation with a bachelor’s degree in 1975, Pathfinder goes to work in his Dad’s well-known family sporting good business.
Pathfinder’s personal difficulties continue when he suffers through two divorces. Mark decides to leave Worcester and his two young daughters to travel south. He stops in SC and never leaves. Pathfinder decides to go back to school at the Citadel in Charleston, SC, and earns a master’s degree in Counselor Education. It was during this time Mark marries his soulmate Barbara Lindsay.
During a twenty-seven-year career in the Charleston County School District as a teacher, counselor, and coach, Pathfinder lives his dream of making a difference in the black communities in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
Upon retirement, Pathfinder befriends Representative Wendell Gilliard. Mark gets honored with the MLK award for the Lowcountry of SC in 2016. Together Representative Gilliard and Pathfinder crusade across SC working to raise the public-school dropout age from seventeen to eighteen.
Pathfinder finally makes peace with himself when in 2019 he returns home to Worcester and organizes a large community event to honor the legacy of his dad, Charlie Epstein, at historical Elm Park.
Presently Mark “Pathfinder” Epstein resides in Mount Pleasant, SC, with his wife Barbara and works at the Mount Pleasant Senior Center as a personal trainer. Together, they enjoy spending time with their four children and seven grandchildren that they share.
“JACK “THE SHOT” FOLEY – A LEGEND FOR ALL TIME: With Togo Palazzi and Central Mass. Basketball”
Mark “Pathfinder” Epstein brings back the “Golden-Era” of basketball in an area of the country known as Central Massachusetts and its flagship city called, Worcester. Basketball was KING for many growing up in this hot-bed area where the Boston Celtics were located 40 miles to the east of Worcester. During this period of time in the 1950’s and 60’s the Celtics were in the middle of their dynasty run and were being led by two former College of Holy Cross stars Bob Cousy and Tom Heinsohn. Holy Cross was located in Worcester and had won the NCAA Championship in 1947 and the NIT in 1954. Central Massachusetts was the place to be if you loved basketball during this golden-era.
Jackie Foley was just a typical kid growing up during this time. His childhood hobby had nothing to do with sports or basketball. Jackie fell in love with nature, snakes and other reptiles. While watching his brother Frank Jr. growing up and becoming a high school basketball star Jack finally got around to trying out the game himself. At about this time Jack met local legend Togo Palazzi, another All-American out of Holy Cross who was in the middle of his successful NBA career with the Celtics.
What happened next could never have been imagined. From a late-bloomer to a national phenom, Jack “The Shot” Foley took all of Central Mass. on a ride that was unthinkable. Jackie became known as Jack “The Shot” Foley and set every New England high school and college scoring record while attending Assumption Prep and Holy Cross, both located in the “Heart of the Commonwealth”.
After completing his All-American career at Holy Cross, “The Shot” was drafted immediately after super-star John Havlicek by the Boston Celtics of the NBA in 1962. While John Havlicek became a household name in New England, Jack’s NBA career fizzled out after his rookie year.
Jack Foley entered the career of education in his hometown of Worcester, Mass. There he coached the game he loved at the high school level at a few different high schools throughout his almost forty-year career. In 1974 Jack moved twenty-miles to the northwest of Worcester to a town called Barre. There Jack adopted five children and became a part-time police officer in town.
All the while his basketball legend never was forgotten. Jack would be known throughout the rest of his life as “The Shot”. His love for the wildlife never diminished. Barre gave Jack and his family a whole new area to roam. Snakes and other reptiles could be found in cages and other areas of his home. Visitors would never know when they might come across one of these surprises. Soon Jack and his wife Gail Raney would travel cross-country in a van to spend fourteen summers camping out in Alaska and photographing its natural beauty.
Jack was forever a fun-loving prankster and story teller. His stories remain legendary to his friends, former students, players, and teammates. This book brings back many of Jack’s tales shared by the many people who this extraordinary man inspired throughout his lifetime.
Not only does this story chronicle the life of one Jack Foley it takes an in-depth look at another basketball hero in Togo Palazzi. In this Incredible story, re-live the golden era of basketball in Central Massachusetts as the author brings back literally hundreds of players who left their mark on a sport and a region that still cherishes this special time in history.
Follow along as Jack “The Shot” Foley became what many still claim the greatest shooter of a basketball who ever lived. Hopefully you will discover for yourself that Jack “The Shot” Foley is one of the most extraordinary men of his generation and not just because of his iconic abilities on a basketball court.
Jack Foley lived out his life in Barre, Mass. Jack “The Shot” Foley passed away on November 29th, 2020 as Parkinson’s disease ravaged away at his body during his last several years.
Thank you considering this amazing storybook of my friend and coach Jack Foley, who was more like a big brother while I attended Worcester Boy’s Trade from 1966-1970.
Sincerely,
Mark “Pathfinder” Epstein-Author
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