Tommy John, the legendary left-handed pitcher whose name became synonymous with the elbow ligament replacement surgery that has saved countless pitchers’ careers, has passed away at 83.
AFP and other news outlets reported that John died on the evening of August 15 at his home in Bradenton, Florida.
John had recently been under hospice care due to declining health and had said his goodbyes to fans through a message shared by the New York Yankees on the 8th.
In a letter released by the Yankees, John expressed his gratitude: He wants to thank the Yankees organization and the Steinbrenner family for allowing him to bid farewell to everyone, as well as all the fans who supported his 26-year career and his friends.
He added that he also wants to extend his thanks to Dr. Frank Jobe, who saved his arm and allowed me to continue pitching.
The Yankees, where John spent the longest stretch of his career—eight seasons—issued a tribute statement: John altered the trajectories of innumerable players worldwide through his remarkably long career and post-surgery achievements. His pitching excellence was often underappreciated. It will honor the full scope of his legacy as a trailblazer in both sports and medicine.
John’s career began in 1965 with the Chicago White Sox. He went on to pitch for six teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Yankees, over 26 seasons. His Major League Baseball (MLB) stats include 4,710⅓ innings pitched, 288 wins, 231 losses, and a 3.34 earned run average (ERA).
John’s enduring legacy stems from the groundbreaking elbow surgery he underwent in 1974, performed by Dodgers team physician Dr. Jobe.
The procedure replaced John’s damaged elbow ligament with a tendon from elsewhere in his body. He sat out the entire 1975 season to recover.
Prior to surgery, John had posted a 124-106 record with a 2.97 ERA over 355 games in 12 seasons. After his 1976 comeback, he enjoyed a successful second act, going 164-125 with a 3.66 ERA over 405 games in his final 14 seasons.
Post-surgery, John surpassed 200 innings for five straight years, notched his first 20-win season in 1977, and continued pitching until age 43 in 1989.
John’s triumphant return catalyzed major advancements in sports medicine. Today, many pitchers still undergo this procedure, hoping to revive their careers.
Dr. Jobe, who extended the careers of numerous pitchers, passed away in 2014. Now, John has joined him.
