Tommy John died at age 83 at his home in Florida on August 16 or 17 after a recurrence of bladder cancer and recent hospice care, surrounded by family [1, 2, 3]. He was a left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher known for pioneering a revolutionary ligament-replacement surgery in 1974 that saved his own career and countless others.
In September 1974, Dr. Frank Jobe performed the surgery by replacing a torn ulnar collateral ligament in John's pitching elbow with a tendon from his right forearm. Dr. Jobe gave the procedure 100-to-1 odds of success. Tommy John famously told the doctor, "Dr Jobe, if you do your job, I’ll do mine" [1, 3].
John defied expectations by pitching another 14 MLB seasons after the surgery, including consecutive 20-win years with the New York Yankees. His career spanned 26 years, playing for teams such as the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Yankees [1, 3].
The surgery soon became known as "Tommy John surgery" and by 2024, about 35% of active MLB pitchers had undergone the procedure, making it a medical milestone in sports [1].
John was widely admired not only for his competitiveness and skill but also for his kindness and trailblazing role as an athletic and medical pioneer. The New York Yankees said they "pause to remember the totality of his legacy – his competitiveness and skill, his penchant for conversation, his kind and gracious nature, and his stature as an athletic and medical pioneer" [1]. Dodgers president Stan Kasten expressed sadness at the news of his death [2].
Just over a week before his passing, John missed the Yankees Old-Timers' Day but sent a farewell letter thanking the Yankees organization, the Steinbrenner family, fans, and Dr. Jobe for their support and for giving him the chance to say goodbye. He wrote, "That surgery has since saved the careers of countless pitchers, including many of the very best in the game today" [3].
