Tommy John: Pioneer Who Changed Baseball | Greenville News

Greenville News Today | 2 Min | The Daily News Now! · Aug 17, 2026 · 1m

Baseball lost a true pioneer this week with the passing of Tommy John, the legendary pitcher whose groundbreaking elbow surgery—now known worldwide as “Tommy John surgery”—saved countless careers. At 83, John’s 288-win career was already historic, but his real legacy lies in defying medical odds in 1974 to become the first pitcher to return to the mound after the procedure. That surgery, pioneered by Dr. Frank Jobe, has since helped over 2,600 MLB players—including icons like Shohei Ohtani and Justin Verlander—extend their careers. John even outperformed himself post-surgery, winning 164…