Baseball managers, players, and commentators offered remembrances of Tommy John, who won 288 games over a 26-year major league career and was the first pitcher to successfully return from the elbow surgery that came to bear his name.
Baseball figures remember Tommy John as trailblazer with 288 career wins
Baseball managers, players, and commentators offered remembrances of Tommy John, who won 288 games over a 26-year major league career and was the first pitcher to successfully return from the elbow surgery that came to bear his name.
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he hoped John would be remembered for the quality of his career beyond the surgery named after him. 'I can see his windup, one of my favorite windups to imitate,' Boone said.
Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole, who himself underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025, described John as a trailblazer who 'ventured into the unknown with the surgery' and wrote 'the script for how to push through it and overcome it, and ultimately have success afterwards.'
Former major league pitcher and New York Mets color commentator Keith Hernandez, speaking on a SportsNet New York telecast, said John 'was a man of faith and just a wonderful man' and called for his induction into the Hall of Fame, citing the 288-win total.
- The source does not state the date or circumstances of Tommy John's death.
- The source does not state John's age at death.
- The source does not identify the surgeon or institution associated with the original elbow surgery.
- The source does not state the year in which John underwent the surgery or when he returned to play.
- The source text supplied appears truncated; some material may be missing.
Read the original at Associated Press