Lawrence F. O'Brien
| Larry O'Brien | |
|---|---|
O'Brien as an assistant to President John F. Kennedy, 1961
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| 3rd Commissioner of the NBA | |
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In office 1975 – February 1, 1984 |
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| Preceded by | Walter Kennedy |
| Succeeded by | David Stern |
| Chairman of the Democratic National Committee | |
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In office 1970–1972 |
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| Preceded by | Fred Harris |
| Succeeded by | Jean Westwood |
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In office 1968–1969 |
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| Preceded by | John M. Bailey |
| Succeeded by | Fred Harris |
| 57th United States Postmaster General | |
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In office November 3, 1965 – April 10, 1968 |
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| President | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | John A. Gronouski |
| Succeeded by | W. Marvin Watson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Lawrence Francis O'Brien, Jr. July 7, 1917 Springfield, Massachusetts, United States |
| Died |
September 28, 1990 (aged 73) Manhattan, New York, United States |
| Resting place | St. Michaels Cemetery, Springfield, Massachusetts, United States |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Elva O'Brien |
| Children | Lawrence Francis O'Brien, III |
| Alma mater | Western New England University (Formerly the Springfield Division of Northeastern University) |
| Profession |
Politician Sports administrator |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Lawrence Francis "Larry" O'Brien, Jr. (July 7, 1917 – September 28, 1990) was one of the United States Democratic Party's leading electoral strategists for more than two decades. He served as Postmaster General in the cabinet of President Lyndon Johnson.
He also served as commissioner of the National Basketball Association from 1975 to 1984. The NBA Championship Trophy is named after him. O'Brien, son of Irish immigrants, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. When he was not working in politics, O'Brien managed his family's real estate and worked in public relations.
O'Brien was born on July 7, 1917, in Springfield, Massachusetts. He learned about politics at a young age. His father, a local leader of the Democratic Party, recruited him at 11 years old to serve locally as a volunteer in the 1928 presidential campaign of Al Smith. O'Brien became a passionate Democrat. He earned a bachelor's degree in law in 1942 at the Northeastern University – Springfield Division, now known as the Western New England University School of Law. O'Brien was married to the former Elva Brassard in 1945. They had one son, Lawrence F. O'Brien III, who became a lobbyist.
He was appointed in 1946, 1948, and 1950 by his friend Foster Furcolo to serve locally as the director of the U.S. House of Representatives election campaigns. O'Brien was appointed in 1952 by John F. Kennedy to serve in Massachusetts as the director of his successful U.S. Senate election campaign and, in 1958, to serve in Massachusetts as the director of his successful reelection campaign. Kennedy's elections were largely attributed to O'Brien's recruitment, his use of volunteers, and his development of a statewide election campaign.
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