Throw me the "Duke"

The 32 teams voted unanimously Monday to name the offical N.F.L. game ball "The Duke" in honor of Wellington Mara who died in October. Hew was named Wellington after the Duke of Wellington and was given the nickname "The Duke" as a youngster by Giants players. The N.F.L. game ball was also known as The Duke from 1941-1969, at the suggestion of George Halas, the Bears' owner, who with Tim Mara, the former Giants owner and Wellington's father helped arrange for Wilson to become the league's official supplier of footballs. [NYTimes 3.28.06 pg. D6]