Legendary MLB pitcher shared emotional ‘goodbye’ message days before his death
- Former Major League Baseball pitcher Tommy John has died at the age of 83 after entering hospice care at his home in Bradenton, Florida.
- John achieved a 288-231 record and a 3.34 ERA over a 26-year career that spanned from 1963 to 1989 across six teams. In 1974, he had a revolutionary ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery, performed by Dr. Frank Jobe. The procedure, now known as Tommy John surgery, saved his career and allowed him to pitch for an additional 14 seasons.
- John died days after sharing a goodbye message in which he wrote, “I want to thank the Yankees organization & the Steinbrenner family for giving me this opportunity to say goodbye to everyone, along with the friends and fans who followed me through my 26-year career. Thanks to Dr. Jobe, who saved my arm & made it possible for me to continue pitching. That surgery has since gone on to save the careers of countless pitchers, including many of the very best in the game today.”
- “Thank you to all the fans who supported me & my teammates for 26 years. I will never forget you,” he continued.
- “The day I left for my first job as a pitcher, my father looked at me and said, ‘Good luck, Tommy. Just remember one thing: whether you make it big in the big leagues or you don’t, you’ll always just be Tommy John from Terre Haute, Indiana.’ I’ve never forgotten those words. Thank you & God Bless.”
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