Tommy John, the four-time MLB All-Star whose name became synonymous with revolutionary elbow surgery, has died at age 83. He died in Florida after being in hospice care.
John pitched 26 seasons from 1963–1989, winning 288 games with the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and California Angels. He made four All-Star teams and appeared in three World Series.
His greatest legacy came in 1974, when Dr. Frank Jobe performed an experimental ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction on John’s damaged pitching elbow. John returned in 1976 and went on to pitch another 13+ seasons. The procedure subsequently became known as Tommy John surgery and has helped save thousands of athletic careers.
Legacy: John actually won 164 of his 288 career games after the surgery, making his comeback one of the landmark stories in baseball history.
