Tommy John, the longtime Major League Baseball pitcher whose remarkable comeback from experimental elbow surgery gave his name to one of the most important procedures in sports medicine, has died at 83.
John died at his home in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, surrounded by his wife, Cheryl, and family, according to a statement from his agent, Mike Maguire, cited by TMZ. He had been receiving hospice care in nearby Bradenton.
Tommy John
(Photo: Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
The New York Yankees, for whom John pitched during two separate stints, mourned him Sunday as both an accomplished pitcher and a figure whose influence extended far beyond the game.
“The New York Yankees mourn the passing of Tommy John, who was a bedrock of our rotation during his time in pinstripes and a longtime favorite of Yankees fans,” the team said. “While his incredible longevity and post-surgery achievements changed the fortunes and trajectory of countless athletes around the world, it also overshadowed his excellence as a pitcher, which included consecutive 20-win seasons with the Yankees.”
The Yankees added that John would be remembered for “his competitiveness and skill, his penchant for conversation, his kind and gracious nature, and his stature as an athletic and medical pioneer.”
John had recently undergone treatment following a recurrence of bladder cancer, according to MLB.com.
Just eight days before his death, the Yankees released an emotional farewell letter from John thanking the organization, his fans and Dr. Frank Jobe, the physician whose experimental operation allowed him to continue pitching.
“I want to thank the Yankees organization & the Steinbrenner family for giving me this opportunity to say goodbye to everyone, along with all the friends & fans who followed me through my 26-year career,” John wrote.
He also credited Jobe with saving his career.
“Thanks for Dr. (Frank) Jobe, who saved my arm & made it possible for me to continue pitching,” John wrote. “That surgery has since gone on to save the careers of countless pitchers, including many of the very best in the game today.”
John underwent the groundbreaking procedure after damaging the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. Jobe replaced the damaged ligament with a tendon taken from another part of John’s body, a procedure that had never before been performed on a major league pitcher.
John missed the entire 1975 season while recovering, but returned in 1976 and continued pitching for another 14 seasons.
The operation eventually became universally known as “Tommy John surgery” and transformed the outlook for pitchers who suffered what had once often been considered a career-ending elbow injury.
Before surgery, John had compiled a 124-106 record with a 2.97 ERA over 355 appearances, including 318 starts, during his first 12 major league seasons.
After returning, he went 164-125 with a 3.66 ERA in 405 appearances, including 382 starts, extending his career deep into his 40s.
John spent 26 seasons in the majors and pitched for six teams. His longest stretches came with the Chicago White Sox from 1965 to 1971, the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1972 to 1974 and again from 1976 to 1978, and the Yankees from 1979 to 1982 and again from 1986 to 1989.
He was selected to four All-Star teams and recorded consecutive 20-win seasons with the Yankees.
After retiring, John also worked as a broadcaster for the Minnesota Twins and Yankees.
Despite his longevity and career accomplishments, he was never elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
His medical legacy, however, became inseparable from the sport itself. What began as an experimental operation performed in an attempt to save one pitcher’s career ultimately became a standard procedure for generations of baseball players.
“Thank you to all the fans who supported me and my teammates for 26 years,” John wrote in his farewell letter. “I will never forget you.”