Wellington

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It is virtually impossible to verbalize the influence Wellington Mara had on the New York Giants and in the NFL. For over 80 years he was one of the most influential figures in the history of professional football, a man whose ideas and innovations made the NFL one of the world’s most successful professional sports leagues.

Wellington: The Maras, the Giants, and the City of New York by Carlo DeVito (Foreword by Sam Huff) is the definitive biography of Wellington Mara – one of the longest-serving, most highly-accomplished and well-respected owners in professional sports. He was a pioneer for the NFL and understood what it took to make the entire league great.

After his father, Tim, purchased the Giants for $500 in 1925, Wellington (along with his brother Jack) became co-owner at 14. He spent nearly 81 years with the Giants until his death on October 25, 2005 at the age of 89.

In Wellington readers will get an inside look at the visionary who lived by the philosophy that the league came before the team. His implementation of TV revenue sharing to the smaller markets allowed the NFL to thrive (and it’s still used today). The growth and opportunity that ensued in the NFL after that move would not have existed had it not been for Wellington Mara. Some of his other pioneering feats include:

• Introducing filming of football games for the purposes of coaching

• Being the first to take photos during games to show how the defenses were lining up

• Revolutionizing recruitment and drafting by finding the best players (including 12 Hall of Famers)

• Assembling the teams that went to the championship game six out of eight straight years between 1956-63 (a feat not equaled before or since).

He was with the New York Giants for 26 postseason appearances (the second-highest total in league history), including 18 NFL Divisional championships and six NFL championships, among them the Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV titles.

Wellington: The Maras, the Giants, and the City of New York is the powerful story of integrity and vision that is all part of the distinguished legacy that is the Mara family. Wellington committed his entire life to football; and the NFL would not be what it is today if it weren’t for his dedication, drive and willingness to share the wealth so the entire league was able to bask in the glory of shared success.