John Connolly

Former Boston city councilor 

he was a political prodigy who developed one of the best political minds in the country.

Menino at a July 12, 1993 press briefing. (Courtesy of City of Boston Archives)

Tom Menino was an urban mechanic when he became mayor. He knew it; the rest of us would soon find out.

4 Experiences That Contributed To Mayor Menino's Improbable Rise

In this Dec. 19, 2013 photo, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, center, speaks with people in Boston's Hyde Park neighborhood. Menino, who was diagnosed with cancer a month after leaving office in 2013, died Thursday, Oct. 30, 2014 in Boston. He was 71. (Steven Senne/AP)