Tommy John, MLB All-Star pitcher who had a surgery named after him, dies at 83
One of Tommy John's biggest legacies to MLB was his comeback elbow reconstruction surgery that now bears his name.
Updated on: August 16, 2026 / 1:40 PM EDT / CBS News
Thomas "Tommy" John, a four-time MLB All-Star who won 288 career games over 26 years in professional baseball, has died, his agent confirmed to CBS News. He was 83.
John died at his home in Florida on Saturday, surrounded by his wife, Cheryl, and other family members, his agent Mike Maguire said in a statement.
His biggest legacy to the game came in 1974 when he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament, which could have ended his career. Instead, John underwent an experimental elbow reconstruction procedure by Dr. Frank Jobe, which is now known as the "Tommy John surgery."
After his surgery, John went on to win 164 more games, finishing his career with 288 victories, more than 2,200 strikeouts and a 3.34 ERA before retiring in 1989.
Born in Terre Haute, Indiana, John signed with the Cleveland Indians, now the Cleveland Guardians, at the age of 18 after impressing the team with his curveball. After three seasons in the minor leagues, he was called up to the majors for the first time in 1963. From there, he went on to play for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, California Angels (now the Los Angeles Angels), Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees.