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NewsWPLG Local 10 – Main FeedAugust 16, 2026Miami-Dade

Major League Baseball pitcher Tommy John dies at 83

Tommy John, the professional baseball pitcher who became the first to successfully return to the sport following ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction, has died at age 83. The procedure, now universally known as 'Tommy John surgery,' has been performed on over 2,600 professional players since he first underwent the operation in 1974.

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Why It Matters

The death of Tommy John marks the passing of a figure whose medical recovery fundamentally changed the career longevity of professional and amateur baseball pitchers worldwide.

Key Facts

  • Tommy John died at age 83 in Bradenton, Florida.
  • John won 288 games during a 26-year Major League Baseball career (1963-1989).
  • In 1974, John became the first pitcher to undergo ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction on his elbow.
  • Dr. Frank Jobe performed the original surgery, which involved replacing the ligament with a tendon from the forearm.
  • More than 2,600 professional baseball players have undergone the procedure since 1974.
  • John won 124 games before his surgery and 164 games after his return.
  • John was a four-time All-Star.
  • The term 'Tommy John surgery' was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2019.
  • John donated his original surgical cast to the Smithsonian Institution in 2022.

Who's Mentioned

personJustin Verlander“Professional baseball player who underwent the surgery.”personFrank Jobe“Dodgers team physician who performed the first UCL reconstruction on Tommy John.”organizationSmithsonian Institution“Recipient of Tommy John's original surgical cast.”personShohei Ohtani“Professional baseball player who underwent the surgery.”personTommy John“Professional baseball pitcher and namesake of UCL reconstructive surgery.”organizationMerriam-Webster“Added 'Tommy John surgery' to the dictionary in 2019.”personBryce Harper“Professional baseball player who underwent the surgery.”personNeal ElAttrache“Dodgers team physician.”