04/26/24
October 25, 2005
Wellington Mara, 1916-2005: New York Giants co-owner Wellington Mara, one of the last links to the era when the National Football League was a struggling sport played by teams like the Pottsville Maroons and Decatur Staleys, has died at age 89.
George Halas, Tex Schramm, Wellington Mara are talking about a Devine football league scheduled to begin play in 2006. They will outsmart Paul Tagliabue and make it successiful for the people and not the industry.
posted by Richard j Garcia at 04:50 PM on October 25, 2005
Wellington Mara was truly one of the founding fathers of the NFL; by comparison, Pete Rozelle was a self-absorbed dilettante who was more interested in projecting the image that he held power while quieter, more studious men like Mara actually saw to it that the league not only survived, but thrived.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:34 PM on October 25, 2005
I haven't posted here in ages, but as someone who bleeds Big Blue, I have to add a deeply heart-felt bit of love for Mara. I knew he wouldn't last much longer, but I'm still upset by the news. All respect for what he did for the Giants, and the NFL as a whole. He'll be sorely missed.
posted by livii at 08:02 PM on October 25, 2005
Wo check out sportscenter on ESPN- They had a great documentry on Mara and how he bought the team for only 500 dollars. Now the team is worth about a billion. They had comments from people in football, and told his familly story, and how they have always operated the team. For once ESPN had something good on the air.
posted by redsoxrgay at 04:59 AM on October 26, 2005
i kind of got a feeling from reading all those quotes after sunday's game that he wouldn't last too much longer. unlike some other owners of professional sports teams in this area, can't say i ever heard a bad word about the guy. he was someone that football fans (not just Giants fans) could appreciate. he helped make it possible for teams like Green Bay to survive and thrive in the NFL. it's a sad day in the swamp.