Howard J. Whitmore Jr.

Howard J. Whitmore Jr. (May 9, 1905 – June 19, 1998) was an American politician who was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1947–1953 and Mayor of Newton, Massachusetts from 1954–1959.

Howard J. Whitmore Jr.
Mayor of Newton, Massachusetts
In office January 1, 1954 – December 31, 1959
Preceded by	Theodore R. Lockwood
Succeeded by	Donald L. Gibbs
Metropolitan District Commissioner
In office 1964–1970
Preceded by	Robert F. Murphy
Succeeded by	John W. Sears
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
In office 1947–1953
Personal details
Born	May 9, 1905[1] Newton, Massachusetts[1]
Died	June 19, 1998 (aged 93)[2] Boston, Massachusetts[2]
Political party	Republican[1]
Residence	Newton, Massachusetts
Alma mater	Harvard College[1]
Occupation	Investment counsel[1]

Early years

A native of Newton, Massachusetts, Whitmore played baseball for Newton High School.^[3] He went on to Harvard College, was a "star right-hander" pitching for the Crimson baseball team, and graduated in 1929.^[4][5] After his freshman year at Harvard in 1926, he played summer baseball for Chatham in the Cape Cod Baseball League.^[3]

Political career

Whitmore's political career began in 1940 when he was elected to the Newton Board of Aldermen.^[2] From 1947–1953, he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he was the Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means. He left the House in 1953 after being elected Mayor of Newton.

Whitmore did not seek reelection in 1959. He was considered to be a frontrunner for the Republican nomination for Governor in 1960, but dropped out of the race after he lost the convention vote to John A. Volpe. He was the Republican nominee for United States Senate in 1964. He lost to incumbent Ted Kennedy by over one million votes.

Later years

After his defeat in the 1964 Senate race, Whitmore was named Commissioner of the Metropolitan District Commission, a post he held until 1970.^[2] He died in Boston, Massachusetts in 1998 at age 93.

See also

• Massachusetts legislature: 1947–1948, 1949–1950, 1951–1952, 1953–1954