Tommy John, the namesake of a revolutionary elbow surgery that has saved thousands of pitchers' careers over the past five decades, including his own, has died at the age of 83, Los Angeles Dodgers announced Sunday, Aug. 16.
John had been in hospice care at his home in Bradenton, Florida, and sent a message to the New York Yankees saying his goodbyes before the team's Old Timers' Day home game against the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 8, 2026, also thanking Dr. Frank Jobe, who performed his surgery.
"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, who pitched for the Yankees from 1979-82 and 1986-89, said in a statement.
"The day I left for my first job as a pitcher, my father looked at me & said, 'Good luck, Tommy. Just remember one thing: whether you make it big in the big leagues or you don't, you'll always just be Tommy John from Terre Haute, Indiana."
John started his major league career with Cleveland in 1963, before pitching with the Chicago White Sox from 1965-71.

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