NFL Films' 'They Call It Pro Football' Added to Library of Congress Registry

Called the 'Citizen Kane' of sports movies

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/19/2012 1:05:46 PM

The Library of Congress has added NFL Films' 1967 production, They Call It Pro Football to its Nationals Film Registry.

Written and produced by Steve Sabol, They Call It Pro Football was NFL Films' first feature. It was directed by John Hentz and narrated by John Facenda. NFL Films is the league's in-house production company.

In its press release, the Library of Congress described the 1967 film: "They Call It Pro Football established a mold for subsequent productions by NFL Films and has well earned its characterization as the Citizen Kane of sports movies." NFL Films named its NFL.com blog after the movie and has posted the final five minutes of the movie for viewing here.

Other notable admissions for 2012 are A League of Their Own, The Matrix, Dirty Harry and A Christmas Story.

"These films are not selected as the 'best' American films of all time, but rather as works of enduring importance to American culture. They reflect who we are as a people and as a nation," said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.