Pete Flynn -- an original Met and longtime groundskeeper whose Mets career spanned six decades passed away this morning at the age of 79.
"Pete helped make our fields one of the best in baseball," said Mets COO Jeff Wilpon on behalf of Mets Chairman of the Board & CEO Fred Wilpon, Mets President Saul Katz and the rest of the Mets organization. "He took such pride in his work and was a pro's pro. Tom Seaver always said Shea Stadium's mound had no equal. That's a pretty good endorsement."  
Flynn was inducted into Major League Baseball's Groundskeeping Hall of Fame in 2015 and he was honored with the Mets Hall of Fame Achievement Award in 2012. Flynn started as a groundskeeper with the Mets during the team's inaugural season in 1962 at the Polo Grounds. He became the head groundskeeper in 1974 and held that position until 2001. He continued as part of the team's grounds crew until his retirement in 2011. Flynn worked in all three Mets homes - Polo Grounds, Shea Stadium and Citi Field.
Flynn was also the Groundskeeper for the Jets when they played at Shea Stadium from 1964-1983 and in 1975, the Mets, Yankees, Jets and Giants all called Shea home.
Flynn drove The Beatles in an armored truck from second base to centerfield during their historic concert at Shea in 1965, he was there when Pope John II held a mass at Shea in 1979 and worked Billy Joel's last concert at Shea Stadium in 2008.