NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball's groundskeepers have elected longtime Mets employee Pete Flynn to the MLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame, the team announced on Friday. Late Orioles groundskeeper Pat Santarone will also enter the hall.

An original Mets employee who began working during the team's inaugural season at the Polo Grounds in 1962, Flynn became head groundskeeper for the Mets in 1974, holding that position until 2001.

"It's a huge honor to be recognized by your peers," Flynn said in a statement. "I have a lot of fond memories from my time with the Mets, going from the Polo Grounds, to Shea, to Citi Field. It's a great way to cap my career."

Flynn's philanthropic work included making himself available to help local Catholic schools with grounds advice and tool donations. He became a member of the Irish-American Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008, and the Mets Hall of Fame in 2012.

To be considered for induction, a groundskeeper must have ceased employment in the profession and have made a significant contribution to groundskeeping or the sports turf industry at the Major League level. Each individual's impact on the community is also considered.