[1] Hovey was born on October 7, 1868, in Newton Centre, Massachusetts.

Hovey won the NCAA men's singles championship in 1890 while attending Harvard University.

In 1893 Hovey won the men's doubles title at the U.S. National Championships with his partner Clarence Hobart with a victory over Oliver Campbell and Robert Huntington.

[3][4] In 1895 he won the men's title at the U.S. National Championships after defeating Robert Wrenn in three straight sets in the Challenge Round.

In 1974, Hovey was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame posthumously.