On Aug. 15, the baseball world lost one of its finest competitors. John, winner of 288 games and a four-time MLB All-Star selection, died after a long illness at his home in Bradenton, Florida. He pitched for six different franchises and is best remembered for his eight seasons with the New York Yankees (1979–1982, 1986–1989). John was 83 years old.
At last week’s 78th annual Old-Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, John’s absence was noticeable. Few from the Yankees alumni corps knew of John’s illness progressing to the degree that it had. Through the Yankees, John released a statement bidding “goodbye” to his fans and his teammates for their much appreciated support throughout his career. One attendee at the stadium for the three-inning alumni exhibition game and player introductions was Bucky Dent.
Dent, like John, had chosen the Southwest Florida city of Bradenton to enjoy retirement from the post-playing days of decades ago. Other Yankees alumni, many of whom were Dent’s teammates from the 1977 and 1978 World Series championship clubs, learned of the state of John’s health for the first time from the former shortstop. Before heading north for the annual Yankees event, Dent visited his friend of more than 40 years at his home one week ago.
“I knew because [Tommy’s wife Cheryl John] told me when we were over there visiting. After that, I called some of the guys telling them that he wasn’t doing so well, and if they wanted to call him, they should call him now and say their goodbyes,” Dent told The Epoch Times on Sunday morning during a telephone conversation. “I don’t think any of them knew they were going to get that letter.”
Reflecting on when he last saw John in January at an autograph-signing event in New Jersey, Dent remembers thinking that he and others at the time knew that the former southpaw wasn’t doing well. Dent, 74, made the drive across town to visit his friend, who was under hospice care at his home, and spent a couple hours showing his respect and compassion, while talking about happier days when they were younger.
“The first time I came across Tommy was when [the Yankees] were playing against him and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series (1977). Back then, Tommy was in the National League. Then he came over in 1979 as a teammate. Not only was Tommy a great teammate, he was an outstanding pitcher, and I loved playing with him. He was a great storyteller, too.”
On Saturday, Dent was planning on making a repeat visit to East Bradenton, to share more stories of their winning an American League pennant together in 1981 and playing the Dodgers for the third time in five years in the Fall Classic. Stories were to be shared of surviving their battles with then Yankees principal owner George Steinbrenner. John’s condition precluded Dent, the 1978 World Series MVP, from visiting.
Ironically, both John and Dent’s careers crossed paths as players as well as in retirement. Signed by the Chicago White Sox in 1970, Dent attended his first White Sox spring training camp in Sarasota, Florida (a 13-mile drive to Bradenton) in 1971. This was also John’s last of his six seasons with Chicago.
“I was over at the minor league complex so I didn’t get to meet up with Tommy, but I did get to watch the spring training games and see him pitch.”
The 1974 operation John underwent to his torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left elbow after injuring it in a game against the Montreal Expos at Dodger Stadium changed the sport’s landscape forever. As a member of the Dodgers at the time, team surgeon Dr. Frank Jobe performed the pioneering procedure that allowed John to come back after a year of rehabilitation for another 14 MLB seasons. The cast John had worn after the surgery was donated by him to the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.
During his 12-year playing career (1973–1984), Dent knew little of the revolutionary surgery that his friend John experienced.
“As pitchers starting get hurt more, that’s when I first heard about the surgery. The more successful cases there were in baseball, the more I learned about it. Many people know the term “Tommy John surgery,” but I think many don’t know there actually was a pitcher with that name. For Tommy to be able to come back and pitch so many seasons after having the surgery was amazing.”
Aside from being opponents and teammates during three World Series, John and Dent were both traded in August 1982 by the Yankees, just one season after winning the pennant. With the club on its way to finishing in fifth place in the American League East, Dent was sent packing to the Texas Rangers on Aug. 8, and John ticketed on Aug. 31 to the California Angels.
As arrangements are finalized for a private celebration of life for Tommy John next month in Florida, Dent is at peace knowing he was able to offer a personal thank you for years of laughter and clubhouse closeness to his dear friend just across town.
