50 years after the first procedure, Tommy John surgery is more common than ever − especially for young athletes
- Written by Ted Spiker, Professor of Journalism, University of Florida
Tommy John pitched in the big leagues from 1963 to 1989 and won 288 games. Only 25 MLB pitchers have won more.
But check out his 27 years of statistics, and you’ll see one year is blank: 1975. That’s because in the fall of 1974, John underwent surgery for a ligament tear in his elbow, an injury once considered career-ending.
John was...