Filmmaker, Sports Figure. Ed Sabol was a filmmaker and the founder of NFL Films. Sabol was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey and raised in Blairstown, New Jersey. In high school his sport of choice was swimming. After graduation he continued his swimming career at Ohio State University. He was chosen for the 1936 United States Olympic team but refused to participate because of the games' connections to Nazi Germany. He served in World War II and upon his return he was a clothing salesman. In 1962 he founded Blair Motion Pictures. Its first major contract was to film the 1962 NFL Championship Game between the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers at Yankee Stadium in New York. Successful from the start, in 1964 Blair Motion Pictures became NFL Films and signed an exclusive deal to preserve NFL games on film. Innovations introduced under Sabol were the use of microphones on coaches, referees and players as well as adding popular music to footage and of course bloopers videos. In 1995, he officially retired from NFL Films in his role as President and Chairman. He was elected to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2003 he received a Lifetime Achievement Emmy and Sabol was elected for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in 2011.
Filmmaker, Sports Figure. Ed Sabol was a filmmaker and the founder of NFL Films. Sabol was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey and raised in Blairstown, New Jersey. In high school his sport of choice was swimming. After graduation he continued his swimming career at Ohio State University. He was chosen for the 1936 United States Olympic team but refused to participate because of the games' connections to Nazi Germany. He served in World War II and upon his return he was a clothing salesman. In 1962 he founded Blair Motion Pictures. Its first major contract was to film the 1962 NFL Championship Game between the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers at Yankee Stadium in New York. Successful from the start, in 1964 Blair Motion Pictures became NFL Films and signed an exclusive deal to preserve NFL games on film. Innovations introduced under Sabol were the use of microphones on coaches, referees and players as well as adding popular music to footage and of course bloopers videos. In 1995, he officially retired from NFL Films in his role as President and Chairman. He was elected to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2003 he received a Lifetime Achievement Emmy and Sabol was elected for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in 2011.
Bio by: Ricky Eade Sr
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