Tommy John Dies at 83, Former Pitcher Known for Surgery Named After Him Spent 26 Seasons in MLB

Former MLB pitcher Thomas "Tommy" John died Saturday at the age of 83, his agent confirmed to Lucia I. Suarez Sang of CBS News.

John played 26 seasons in the majors and won 288 games, but his legacy goes beyond the field. After suffering a torn ulnar collateral ligament in 1974, he underwent an experimental elbow reconstruction procedure by Dr. Frank Jobe, which has since been dubbed "Tommy John surgery."

A four-time All-Star, John pitched for six different franchises. He made three career World Series appearances with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. Despite being on the losing team all three times, he had a 2.67 ERA in 33.2 World Series innings pitched.

John's torn UCL could have ended his career prematurely, but he earned 164 of his 288 wins after his groundbreaking surgery. He finished his career with a 3.34 ERA and 2,245 strikeouts.

On the 78th Old-Timers' Day earlier this month, the Yankees shared a goodbye message from John as he battled health issues from his Florida home.

"I want to thank the Yankees organization & the Steinbrenner family for giving me this opportunity to say goodbye to everyone, along with all the friends & fans who followed me throughout my 26-year career," he stated. "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 and my teammates for 26 years. I will never forget you."

John's impact will be felt for generations, as he helped create a path for pitchers to keep their careers alive and be even better than before.