Former pitcher Tommy John, whose name became synonymous with the elbow surgery that saved thousands of baseball careers, has died at the age of 83. The announcement was made on August 16 by Major League Baseball (MLB).
During his career, John recorded 288 MLB wins, participated in the All-Star Game four times, and spent 26 seasons playing professionally. He debuted with Cleveland in 1963 and retired after a final game for the New York Yankees in 1989 at the age of 46.
The MLB website described John as: “Tommy John was a true baseball legend. His 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 after signing with Cleveland in 1961. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and California Angels.
John’s name became known not only for his athletic achievements but also for a specific elbow surgery dubbed the “Tommy John operation.” In 1974, while playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, he suffered a complete rupture of the ulnar collateral ligament. After unsuccessful attempts to recover without surgery, team doctor Frank Job performed the procedure, replacing the damaged ligament with a tendon from his forearm. At that time, the probability of John’s return to professional sports was assessed as extremely low.
After missing the 1975 season, he returned to MLB in 1976 and played successfully for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The following year, John finished as the runner-up in the Cy Young Award voting 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.
