Tommy John bids farewell: 'Will never forget you'
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- Tommy John, 83, skipped the Yankees' Old-Timer's Day on Saturday due to unspecified health issues and shared a social media farewell saying 'I will never forget you' from his Bradenton, Florida home
- John underwent the pioneering elbow ligament replacement surgery in 1974 performed by Dr. Jobe, then credited Jobe in his message for 'sav[ing] my arm & mak[ing] it possible for me to continue pitching'
- The Tommy John surgery has since been performed on 'countless pitchers, including many of the very best in the game today,' per John's statement
- John pitched 14 more seasons after the surgery, finishing with a 288-231 record, 3.34 ERA, and 760 career appearances across the White Sox, Dodgers, Angels, Yankees (two stints, 91 wins), Guardians, and Athletics
- John has battled bladder cancer and other ailments in recent years, though it was unclear whether any of those conditions were connected to his current health problems
Why it matters: John's farewell puts a personal coda on the surgery that bears his name — a procedure that has become routine for elite pitchers, with John himself crediting Dr. Jobe for letting him pitch 14 more years. For the Yankees organization and fans at Old-Timer's Day, the absence of an 83-year-old legend marks a poignant generational transition.
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