Sunday, August 16, 2026

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2026

Tommy John, who had the first UCL reconstruction surgery, which is commonly known as Tommy John surgery, has died at 83.

John pitched 26 major league seasons with the Cleveland Indians, the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees, the Oakland Athletics, and the California Angels. He had 288 wins, and he is not in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

John was a sinkerball pitcher with a curveball, and later in his career, he developed a slider. He never lit up the radar gun, nor did he ever win a Cy Young Award. However, he knew how to win.

While he was with the Dodgers, John led the National League in winning percentage before blowing out his left elbow. He begged team doctor Dr. Frank Jobe to develop a procedure that would allow him to continue pitching. After two days, Jobe came up with a ligament transplant to replace the damaged Ulnar Collateral Ligament. John’s willingness to undergo the experimental surgery and successfully complete the strenuous rehabilitation has extended many pitchers’ careers. John won more games after the surgery than he did before it.