*** Welcome to piglix ***

Lawrence F. O'Brien

Larry O'Brien
Larry O'Brien 1961.jpg
O'Brien as an assistant to President John F. Kennedy, 1961
3rd Commissioner of the NBA
In office
1975 – February 1, 1984
Preceded by Walter Kennedy
Succeeded by David Stern
Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
In office
1970–1972
Preceded by Fred Harris
Succeeded by Jean Westwood
In office
1968–1969
Preceded by John M. Bailey
Succeeded by Fred Harris
57th United States Postmaster General
In office
November 3, 1965 – April 10, 1968
President Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by John A. Gronouski
Succeeded by W. Marvin Watson
Personal details
Born Lawrence Francis O'Brien, Jr.
(1917-07-07)July 7, 1917
Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
Died September 28, 1990(1990-09-28) (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.


...
Wikipedia

...