Ex-MLB pitcher Tommy John, namesake of pioneering surgery, dies - ESPN

Former major league pitcher Tommy John, a four-time All-Star who won 288 career games and the namesake behind the pioneering elbow surgery that prolonged his career for 14 more years, died Saturday at the age of 83.

John died at his home in Bradenton, Florida, the New York Yankees said in a statement Sunday. A cause of death was not given, but he had been in hospice and had been diagnosed with bladder cancer and other ailments in recent years.

«The New York Yankees mourn the passing of Tommy John, who was a bedrock of our rotation during his time in pinstripes and a longtime favorite of Yankees fans,» the team said in its statement. «While his incredible longevity and post-surgery achievements changed the fortunes and trajectory of countless athletes around the world, it also overshadowed his excellence as a pitcher, which included consecutive 20 win seasons with the Yankees.

»We pause to remember the totality of his legacy — his competitiveness and skill, his penchant for conversation, his kind and gracious nature, and his stature as an athletic and medical pioneer. The Yankees extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends."

John shared a vague message about his health after missing the Yankees' Old-Timers Day on Aug. 8, saying that he wanted to say goodbye to everyone, along with all the friends and fans who followed him throughout his 26-year career.

«I will never forget you,» John said in his message posted to social media.

After suffering what had been up to then considered a career-ending injury, John, then 31, underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery on his left (pitching) elbow in 1974, with the revolutionary procedure being performed by Dr. Frank Jobe. The procedure was named after