Mara family
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The Mara family is an Irish-American family primarily known for owning the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) since the franchise was formed in 1925. The Maras owned the team outright until 1991, when a feud led to one side of the family selling their half interest to Preston Robert Tisch.[1]
Family patriarch Tim Mara was born in 1887 in New York City to John and Elizabeth (née Harris) Mara.[2] While working as a newsboy, Mara also earned money as a courier for bookmakers. He eventually started his own bookmaking operation and in 1921 became the legal in-track bookmaker at Belmont Park.[3]
Mara was married to Elizabeth "Lisett" Barclay for over 50 years. They had two sons: Jack Mara and Wellington Mara.[1][3]
In 1925, Mara was awarded New York City's National Football League franchise.[3] In 1930, he transferred half of the ownership to each of his sons to protect the team from creditors, but maintained control of the franchise until his death on February 16, 1959.[1][3][4]
Jack Mara
Jack Mara was born in 1908. He graduated from Fordham University in 1933 with a law degree.[5] He never became a practicing lawyer, instead joining the Giants as team president.[6] As president, Mara focused on the team's business operations.[1]
In 1934, he married Helen Phelan, daughter of New York State Athletic Commission chairman John J. Phelan. They had two children: Maura and Timothy J. Mara.[7]
Jack Mara died on June 29, 1965.[8] After his death, his 50% share of the team was divided between his wife and two children.[4] Helen Mara later married Joseph C. Nugent. She died on February 21, 1997, at the age of 89.[9]
Maura Mara was described as "probably the most rabid in the family" by her cousin John Mara.[1] She married Richard J. Concannon, a senior partner at Kelley Drye & Warren, and had three children. Her 49-year marriage ended with Concannon's death in 2013.[10]
Wellington Mara
Wellington Mara was born in 1916. He started as the team's waterboy and after graduating from Fordham University joined the Giants as team treasurer and head of football operations. After his brother's death in 1965, he assumed the role of president. Mara was heavily involved in league affairs. He was instrumental in creating revenue sharing that saw all teams split profits from television contracts and helped engineer the merger of the NFL and American Football League. He remained team president until his death on October 25, 2005.[11] Wellington was named after the Duke of Wellington. From 1941, when his father hired Wilson as the exclusive supplier of NFL game balls, until 1969, game balls were branded with his nickname, "The Duke". After Wellington's death, the nickname was branded on the balls again starting in the 2006 season.[12]