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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE March 28, 2006 Mara Will Be Missed by Many and Was Ber of the Team

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE March 28, 2006 Mara Will Be Missed by Many and Was Ber of the Team March 28, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE 4127 advocate for this resolution on the championships, and six National Football School and Fordham University in New House floor and hope my colleagues League championships, including the Super York City. will join me in honoring such a worthy Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV titles; During the early 1960s, Wellington cause today. Whereas the only time Mara was away and his brother Jack, the owners of the from the New York Giants was during World Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance War II, when he served honorably in the NFL’s largest market, agreed to share of my time. United States Navy in both the Atlantic and television revenue on a league-wide Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Pacific theaters and earned the rank of Lieu- basis, dividing the amounts of money Members to support adoption of H. Res. tenant Commander; available in cities like New York with 85, and I yield back the balance of my Whereas, in addition to his outstanding smaller market teams, like the Pitts- time. leadership of the New York Giants, Wel- burgh Steelers and the Green Bay The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. lington Mara also made outstanding con- Packers. This concept of revenue shar- tributions to the National Football League BRADLEY of New Hampshire). The ques- ing allowed the NFL to grow and is as a whole, including serving on its Execu- tion is on the motion offered by the tive Committee, Hall of Fame Committee, still being used today. gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. and Competition Committee; Along with his many other lasting DENT) that the House suspend the rules Whereas Wellington Mara has been in- contributions to the game, Mara lead and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 85. ducted into the Fordham Athletic Hall of the Giants to six league champion- The question was taken; and (two- Fame, and, in 2002, he was honored at the ships, including two Super Bowls, nine thirds having voted in favor thereof) Fordham Founder’s dinner, which is conference championships, and 13 divi- the rules were suspended and the reso- Fordham’s highest honor; sion championships. As an Eagles fan, lution was agreed to. Whereas Wellington Mara was inducted that breaks my heart. Also, the Giants into the National Football League Hall of have accumulated the third highest A motion to reconsider was laid on Fame in 1997; the table. Whereas Wellington Mara served his com- number of victories in National Foot- f munity as a member of the board of the Gi- ball League history. To commemorate ants Foundation, a charitable organization his outstanding career, he was inducted RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF founded by the New York Giants to provide into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in WELLINGTON TIMOTHY MARA financial and social support for disadvan- 1997. I urge all Members to come to- Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I move to taged youths in the New York Metropolitan gether to honor this pillar of the foot- Area; and suspend the rules and agree to the reso- ball community by adopting H. Res. Whereas, on October 25, 2005, Wellington 517. lution (H. Res. 517) recognizing the life Mara succumbed to cancer at his home in of Wellington Timothy Mara and his Rye, New York: Now, therefore, be it Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of outstanding contributions to the New Resolved, That the House of Representa- my time. York Giants Football Club, the Na- tives, on the occasion of the death of Wel- Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I tional Football League, and the United lington Timothy Mara— yield myself such time as I may con- States. (1) expresses its deepest condolences to his sume. wife of 61 years, Ann, his 11 children, and his The Clerk read as follows: Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the 40 grandchildren; and resolution to recognize the life and ac- H. RES. 517 (2) recognizes the outstanding contribu- complishments of an NFL institution, tions that Wellington Timothy Mara made Whereas Wellington Timothy Mara was Wellington Timothy Mara. Mara spent born on August 14, 1916, in New York City; to the New York Giants Football Club, the Whereas Wellington Mara graduated from National Football League, and the United nearly his entire life with the New Loyola High School in New York and pro- States. York Giants, holding several positions ceeded to Fordham University, from which The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- from ball boy at the age of 9 to treas- he graduated in 1937; ant to the rule, the gentleman from urer and team president. Whereas Wellington Mara was closely in- Pennsylvania (Mr. DENT) and the gen- Professional football and the New volved with the Fordham University football York Giants were in Mara’s blood: his teams of 1936 through 1938, which at one tleman from Illinois (Mr. DAVIS) each will control 20 minutes. father founded the New York Giants. point won 25 straight games, and it was at Father and son built one of the most Fordham University that Mara befriended The Chair recognizes the gentleman future National Football League Hall of from Pennsylvania. successful franchises in league history. Fame coach Vince Lombardi; GENERAL LEAVE Mara’s passing this past October Whereas Wellington Mara was a vital par- Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unani- dealt an emotional blow to the Giants ticipant in the New York Giants Football mous consent that all Members may organization and the league at large. Club since its inception and inclusion in the have 5 legislative days within which to Mara was extremely involved with the National Football League in 1925 under the revise and extend their remarks and in- team right up until his passing. He original leadership of his father Timothy; showed up at practice nearly every day Whereas, in 1930, Wellington Mara acquired clude extraneous material on the reso- lution under consideration. and shared his wisdom with the play- part-ownership of the New York Giants when ers. his father divided the team between Wel- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there lington Mara and his brother Jack; objection to the request of the gen- Although Mara was associated most Whereas under the co-leadership of Wel- tleman from Pennsylvania? intimately with the Giants, it was lington and Jack Mara, the New York Giants There was no objection. more than his dedication to the Giants appeared in five National Football League Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I yield my- that led to his induction into the Pro- Championship games between 1958 and 1963, self such time as I may consume. fessional Football Hall of Fame. In the and Wellington Mara was in charge of accu- Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support 1960s, when the Giants earned a domi- mulating the player talent that engineered of H. Res. 517, introduced by the gen- nant portion of television revenues gar- this remarkable accomplishment; nered by professional football, Wel- Whereas, by supporting the agreement to tleman from New Jersey (Mr. PAS- share television revenues equally among the CRELL). This resolution recognizes the lington and his brother Jack made the teams of the National Football League, Wel- life of Wellington Timothy Mara and generous decision to split television lington and Jack Mara gave up significant his contributions to the National Foot- revenues with poor-performing teams. revenue for their own team, but put the Na- ball League. This revenue division allowed teams in tional Football League on the path to collec- Wellington Mara was a co-owner and smaller markets to stay afloat until a tive success; co-CEO of the NFL’s New York Giants substantial fan base and the develop- Whereas, after the untimely death of his and one of the most influential and im- ment of a nationwide television mar- brother Jack in 1965, Wellington Mara be- portant figures in the history of the ket would enable these teams to stand came the principal owner of the New York Giants; National Football League. The son of on their own feet. If it were not for the Whereas, under his leadership, the New Timothy Mara, who founded the Giants generosity of the Mara family, the Na- York Giants have 26 postseason appearances, organization in 1925, Mara is an alum- tional Football League would not be 18 National Football League divisional nus of the Jesuit schools, Loyola where it is today. VerDate Sep 11 2014 12:24 Mar 14, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00067 Fmt 0688 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BOOK3\DAT FILES\BR28MR06.DAT BR28MR06 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE 4128 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE March 28, 2006 Mara will be missed by many and was ber of the team. With his brother in Mara, former co-owner of the National Football mourned by his family, his team, and charge of the business, Wellington soon League’s New York Giants franchise and the entire National Football League. A took control of all player personnel de- League businessman extraordinaire, and in demonstration of the loss was wit- cisions. That is why even though there support of Congressman PASCRELL’s resolu- nessed when the Giants honored Mara have been many problems in the NFL, tion recognizing the life of Wellington Mara by winning a decisive game over the like many sports, there is something and his outstanding contributions to the New Washington Redskins the same week of very different about the National Foot- York Giants football club, the National Football his passing. ball League. It is a family operation League and the United States of America. Mr. Speaker, I am in support of this and the more it becomes that, the more Wellington Timothy Mara was a man among resolution.
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