Tommy John pitched in the big leagues from 1963 to 1989 and won 288 games. Only 25 MLB pitchers have won more.
But check out his 27 years of statistics, and you’ll see one year is blank: 1975. That’s because in the fall of 1974, John underwent surgery for a ligament tear in his elbow, an injury once considered career-ending.
John was the first pitcher to return to action after suffering such an injury. In fact, John won more games after the surgery than before – and the procedure that repaired his arm is now named after him.
