Procedure and Pitching—Tommy John’s Contributions to Sports Remain a Game Changer

Aside from the late Yankees Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig, John is the only other athlete to have a well-known medical condition/procedure associated with his name.

Tommy John of the New York Yankees throws to first base during a game against the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park in Chicago in 1989. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Pitcher Tommy John had a medical procedure 50 years ago that would have a permanent positive effect on athletes’ careers. It’s now called Tommy John surgery.

Today, John, 81, lives a quiet life with his wife, Cheryl, in Southwest Florida. After 26 MLB seasons pitching for six clubs, starting in 1963 until spinning his last ball in 1989, John has earned a relaxing retirement. For many fans and sports writers, a case has been made for his Hall of Fame worthiness—288 victories, 162 complete games hurled, 760 game appearances, and his left arm throwing more than 4,700 innings.