Tommy John, the former Major League Baseball pitcher whose innovative elbow surgery revolutionized the sport and extended the careers of countless athletes, has died. He was 83.
His agent, Mike Maguire, confirmed his death in a statement, noting that John passed away peacefully at his home in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, surrounded by family. A private memorial service is planned.
The news comes approximately one week after John released a farewell message to fans on New York Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day. During the event, the Yankees organization revealed that John had been managing health issues. "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 throughout my 26-year career," John’s message stated.
He specifically thanked Dr. Frank Jobe, the surgeon who performed his seminal operation in 1974. "That surgery has since gone on to save the careers of countless pitchers, including many of the very best in the game today," John wrote. He also expressed gratitude to his fans and teammates.
John's successful recovery from the surgery, now commonly known as Tommy John surgery, allowed him to continue pitching for many years. He returned to the mound in 1976 and went on to win more than 160 games after the procedure. He was a three-time All-Star following the surgery and a four-time All-Star over his entire career.
John played 26 seasons in Major League Baseball for six teams: the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, California Angels, Cleveland Indians, Oakland Athletics, and the New York Yankees. He spent eight of his seasons with the Yankees. He concluded his career with a 3.34 earned run average and 2,245 strikeouts.
In his farewell message, John recalled his father’s words from when he first started his pitching career: "Whether you make it big in the big leagues or you don't, you'll always just be Tommy John from Terre Haute, Indiana." He added, "I've never forgotten those words. Thank you & God Bless."