The baseball world is mourning the death of pitcher Tommy John, a four-time All-Star and 26-year MLB veteran.
John, the first to undergo the revolutionary elbow ligament replacement surgery that saved and prolonged his career, was 83.
Los Angeles Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten lauded the left-hander for “his impact both on and off the field.”
“We are saddened to hear the news of Tommy John’s passing today,” Kasten said in a statement. “Tommy was an exceptional pitcher throughout his career in Major League Baseball, and his courageous role in becoming the first to have surgery that would go on to bear his name can’t be overstated.”
Tommy John pitched for six MLB teams over his lengthy career, led by eight seasons with the New York Yankees (1979-82, 1986-89).
In a statement, the Yankees called him “a bedrock of our rotation during his time in pinstripes and a longtime favorite of Yankees fans.”
John posted back-to-back 20-win seasons with the Yankees in 1979 and 1980, earning his third and fourth career All-Star nods.
“We pause to remember the totality of his legacy – his competitiveness and skill, his penchant for conversation, his kind and gracious nature, and his stature as an athletic and medical pioneer,” the Yankees added.
After John injured his elbow in 1974, he received the first ulnar collateral ligament replacement surgery from Dr. Frank Jobe. John returned to pitch in 1976, then won 20 games three times in four years from 1977-80.