Tommy John, Yankees great who had surgery named after him, dead at 83
New York Post • • nation
Key Points:
- Tommy John, the pioneering MLB pitcher whose career was extended by the groundbreaking elbow surgery now named after him, has died at age 83 in hospice care in Bradenton, Florida.
- John pitched 26 major league seasons, winning 288 games including 164 after undergoing the first ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery performed by Dr. Frank Jobe in 1974.
- His comeback from injury earned him the nickname "The Bionic Man," and he finished second in Cy Young voting multiple times, but despite his success, he was never inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- John played for several teams including the White Sox, Dodgers, Yankees, Angels, and Athletics, starting 700 games and pitching over 4,700 innings, ranking among MLB's all-time leaders.
- Beyond his playing career, John faced personal tragedies, worked in broadcasting and minor league managing, and advocated for suicide prevention after his son's death; he had also battled bladder cancer.
