Tommy John’s Legacy Beyond the Pitch | Los Angeles News

Baseball lost a true legend this past Saturday—Tommy John, 83, whose name now defines resilience and comeback in the game. A 288-win pitcher with a 26-year career, he’s immortalized not for his stats but for revolutionizing baseball medicine. In 1974, after tearing his pitching elbow ligament—a career-ending injury then—he underwent experimental surgery with a 1% success rate. He didn’t just survive—he thrived, pitching another 14 seasons and winning more games post-op than pre-op. That procedure? Tommy John surgery. Now performed over 2,600 times in MLB, it’s saved countless careers—from Shohei Ohtani to Justin Verlander. Though never elected to the Hall of Fame, his impact is undeniable: he started Opening Day for the Yankees at 46, donated his original cast to the Smithsonian, and became a four-time All-Star and respected pioneer. His legacy isn’t just on the mound—it’s in every pitcher who’s ever returned from the brink. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/b458dcd0c528c787 Presented by The Plant Daddies — rare specimen trees, living art, and hand-carved limestone vessels and fountains for extraordinary spaces. Showrooms in Los Angeles and Irvine. Listeners of Los Angeles News Today receive 10% off with code LANEWS10. theplantdaddies.com/lanews