February/March 2012

Interview with Jeff Foley, son of Boston Celtics photographer Ray Foley.

By Michael Smisek

How did your father, Ray Foley, and Dave Cowens meet?

My dad was a photographer for the Celtics before Cowens came to play. Back then the NBA wasn’t as glamorous as it is today; everyone knew each other. It wasn’t uncommon for players, staff members, and others to get to know each other over the course of many seasons. My dad and Dave became good buddies.

So your dad facilitated Cowens’s move to Maine?

My dad helped him buy his place in Raymond. He turned him on to Sebago and Maine. He would hang out at our camp, take boat rides with us–basically enjoy our Maine summers.

What was it like to know Cowens as a boy?

Cowens was a great family friend. He always treated us really well–we were lucky to know him. I was a ball boy for a while. We got tickets whenever we wanted. If we brought our friends to a game, we’d sit on the floor, right there on the court.

The photos of you, your brother, and Cowens are great!  I love Cowens’s jean cut-offs.

You like those shorts, huh? They are great photos. I’m the little one wearing the Celtics jersey; it was a gift from Cowens. My dad took the photos here in Maine. The one with the stop sign and my brother David was taken near Moody Beach, and the one with the yellow Suburban was taken near our camp in Raymond.