Immediately after walking into Symphony Hall, as we did last week for the State of the City address by Mayor Marty Walsh, you get the thrill of living in a truly historic city with a remarkable tradition.

Once called The Old Boston Music Hall, Symphony Hall has hosted many great civic, music and political events since it opened in 1900. U.S. presidents, foreign leaders and world-famous entertainers often participated and attended special events there. University graduations, reunions and major business socials were a great fit for a special celebration. Being in the audience made people feel especially proud to be part of the special city we love.

I told the Mayor that Symphony Hall was a great place to share his vision of the city. It brings out the best of Boston and its diverse people. I looked at the audience — they seemed to hang on every line and proposal the mayor delivered. I especially liked his determined recommitment for education, more medical research for children and adults suffering with incurable diseases, stable housing costs and helping end illegal drug and alcohol addiction, which are devastating so many good Boston families.

But I couldn’t help sharing a little story that took place in Symphony Hall that only a few people know about, one of them Mayor Walsh and Dorchester City Councilor Frank Baker’s friend, and mine, Ron Della Chiesa from Music America (also a friend of Frank Sinatra).

When I became mayor in 1983, Boston had a whopping financial deficit, but more than anything else, I felt I needed to get some youth sports programs started in each of the neighborhoods.

How could I raise the money to pay for these needed programs, especially during the hot summer months? I put businessman Gerry Ridge from Ridge Arena in Braintree in charge of the newly formed Police Athletic League. “Gerry, we’re going to call Frank Sinatra and ask him to come to Boston to do a show.” I contacted Sinatra and told him the story. He agreed to come and he filled Symphony Hall. After the show, in his dressing room, Sinatra said to several of us, “I’m glad tonight was a success. You raised the money you needed for the kids, Now you are going to do me a favor. I get no money. It goes to the kids, OK? But you can’t tell anybody till I die. Now, let’s have a drink.”

Mayors learn quickly that there are a lot of good people out there who want to help kids and aren’t looking for any attention or credit. Frank Sinatra was one of them.