Boston’s sports teams reacted quickly Thursday to news of former Boston mayor Tom Menino’s death following a bout with cancer.
“The Boston Bruins organization is deeply saddened by the passing of mayor Menino and we would like to express our deepest condolences to his family,” Bruins president Cam Neely said in a statement issued by the team. “Mayor Menino is synonymous with the city of Boston and the professional sports teams that represented it. His passion was always evident and his support unwavering. He will be deeply missed.
Boston Red Sox ownership remembered Menino not just as a mayor but as a great friend and fan.
“The passing of Mayor Menino is a great loss for the City of Boston and for us personally,” Red Sox principal owner John Henry said in a statement. “His passion for this city was legendary; his passion for the Red Sox extraordinary. We were fortunate to learn from his wisdom when we arrived in Boston over a decade ago. His support and leadership in the preservation of Fenway Park was critical in saving this ballpark. We will miss his spirit, and we will miss his friendship.”
“Mayor Menino taught us that cities are neighborhoods, and nowhere was that felt more strongly over these 13 years than in our own backyard at Fenway Park,” Red Sox chairman Tom Werner said. “For all of our desires to preserve and protect this ballpark, I don’t know that it could have happened without the impassioned leadership of Mayor Menino. We are grateful that he was with us to celebrate our championships and to throw out the ceremonial first pitch when Fenway celebrated its 100th anniversary. It’s hard to imagine a mayor who was more beloved. We are honored to have worked with him.”
“Our city has lost a great mayor, the Red Sox have lost a knowledgeable and an extraordinarily passionate fan, and the preservation community has lost a great advocate,” Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino said. “The preservation of Fenway Park was one of his greatest and proudest achievements. He cared deeply about the growth of this neighborhood and the protection of this ballpark.
“Personally, Mayor Menino was like a big brother to me. When I moved to Boston, he helped to make it my home. We have lost a good man, and I have lost a really good friend.”
The Celtics expressed their condolences to the Menino family.
“The entire Boston Celtics organization and our ownership group are deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved former mayor, and dear friend of the Celtics, Thomas M. Menino,” managing partners Wyc Grousbeck, H. Irving Grousbeck, Stephen Pagliuca and Robert Epstein said in a joint statement. “Menino’s love and devotion for the city of Boston and its residents will long be remembered by those who knew him, as well as future generations of Bostonians, who will benefit from his vision. We keep his wife Angela, daughter Susan, son Thomas Jr. and his entire family in our thoughts at this time.”
The New England Patriots joined the voices of those mourning the former mayor.
“Today is a sad day for so many in Boston who are mourning the loss of mayor Menino,” Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft said in a statement. “Personally, my three favorite memories were the phone calls that I received from the mayor after each of our Super Bowl victories inviting the Patriots to celebrate with our fans in downtown Boston. I was so happy to accept his invitations. My thoughts and prayers are with Angela and the entire Menino family today.
Bruins principal Charlie Jacobs lauded Menino’s “vision” for the city of Boston..
“I was saddened today to learn of the passing of mayor Menino, and on behalf of the Jacobs Family I would like to express my deepest condolences to his family,” Jacobs said in a statement. “My family and I witnessed first hand how mayor Menino’s vision and leadership helped transform Boston into one of the greatest cities in the world. Today we join all Bostonians in mourning our loss and celebrating mayor Menino’s enduring legacy.”
Menino was Boston’s longest-serving mayor, holding office from 1993 to 2014. He was 71.
Photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
