'Tommy John Surgery' Tommy John shares sad news of his current condition; cancer recurrence leads to hospice care... final farewell to fans

*This content was translated by AI.

Tommy John (83), best known as the namesake of 'Tommy John surgery,' has bid farewell to his fans at the final stage of his life.

According to foreign media outlets including Reuters and MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the U.S., on the 9th (Korean time), John's health deteriorated significantly after bladder cancer recurred. It is reported that he is currently receiving hospice care at his home in Bradenton, Florida, USA.

John's original team and the club where he spent the longest period of his playing career, the New York Yankees, released a handwritten letter from John via the team's official social networking service (SNS) on this day.

In the letter, John expressed, "I am deeply grateful to the fans and friends who supported me throughout my 26-year playing career, as well as to the Yankees organization and the Steinbrenner family for giving me the opportunity to say goodbye."

He continued, "I also extend my special gratitude to the late Frank Jo Beu (Dr.), who saved my arm, allowed me to continue pitching on the mound, and opened a path for countless pitchers to sustain their playing careers," conveying his sincere feelings.

John, who debuted in the major leagues in 1963, was a legendary left-handed pitcher who played for six teams, including the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Yankees, over an impressive 26 seasons until 1989. He appeared in 760 career games in the majors, pitched 4,710⅓ innings, and left behind a monumental record of 288 wins, 231 losses, and an ERA of 3.34.

There was a decisive moment that allowed him to leave an unparalleled mark on baseball history. In 1974, while playing for the Dodgers, he suffered a fatal injury when his medial collateral ligament in his left elbow ruptured. At that time, a ligament rupture for a pitcher was practically equivalent to a retirement sentence.

At that moment, Frank Jo Beu (Dr.), the team doctor for the Dodgers, successfully performed the world's first transplant surgery by replacing the damaged ligament with tissue taken from another part of the body. This marked the beginning of what is now universally known as 'Tommy John surgery' (elbow ligament reconstruction).

John endured grueling rehabilitation for about 18 months and made a complete comeback to the mound in 1976. Before the surgery, he had accumulated 124 wins (106 losses) over 12 seasons; after his return, he achieved the miracle of adding 164 wins (125 losses) over another 14 seasons until retirement. He surpassed 200 innings for five consecutive years following his return and reached the milestone of 20 wins in a season for the first time since his debut in 1977. Ultimately, he dominated the mound as an active player until 1989 at the age of 46.

Jo Beu (Dr.), who left an immortal legacy in the sports world, passed away in 2014. Now, before John departs this world, he has left a message of gratitude that resonates deeply in the hearts of baseball fans.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.