The Boy Who Saved Baseball

A review of the book, “The Boy Who Saved Baseball” by John Ritter.

Tommy John- a brief history

On July 17, 1974, Tommy John underwent what was then called an “ulnar collateral ligament replacement” surgery. The procedure is now commonly referred to as “Tommy John surgery” and has become relatively commonplace in baseball. In 1974, it was groundbreaking.

The road to Tommy John surgery began in the early 1970s when Dr. Frank Jobe, a orthopedic surgeon who was then working with the Los Angeles Dodgers began experimenting with a new surgical technique to treat an elbow injury suffered by pitcher Sandy Koufax

Jobe’s experiment was a success and Koufax was able to return to pitching for the Dodgers. Impressed by Jobe’s work, Dodgers team physician Robert Kerlan recommended that Jobe try the same procedure on Tommy John, who was then 31 years old and had been experiencing elbow problems for several years.

John agreed to undergo the surgery and, on July 17, 1974, he became the first baseball player to have the procedure. The surgery was a success and John went on to play 14 more seasons in the Major Leagues In total, he played 26 seasons in the majors, more than any other player in history who has had Tommy John surgery

The 1974 season- a turning point

The 1974 baseball season was one for the history books. A season that was almost cancelled due to a player’s strike, it was saved by one man- Curt Flood. A star player for the St. Louis Cardinals he refused to be traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and instead sat out the entire season. His stand against being treated like property led to a historic legal case that changed the landscape of baseball forever.

Dr. Frank Jobe- the man behind Tommy John surgery

On July 17, 1974, then-Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery, more commonly known as Tommy John surgery. The surgery, performed by Dr. Frank Jobe, has since become commonplace in baseball, helping prolong the careers of hundreds of pitchers.

Dr. Jobe was born in 1925 in Quincy, Florida. He attended college at Auburn University before enlisting in the Navy during World War II. After the war, he finished his undergraduate degree at Auburn before going on to medical school at the University of Kentucky

In 1964, Dr. Jobe began working for the Dodgers as a team physician. It was during this time that he developed the revolutionary elbow surgery that would come to bear his name.

While Tommy John surgery is now a relatively routine procedure, it was highly experimental at the time. In fact, Dr. Jobe didn’t think that Tommy John would be able to pitch again after the surgery. But John not only returned to pitching, but went on to have a successful 14-year career after the surgery.

Since then, hundreds of Major League pitchers have undergone Tommy John surgery with great success. Dr. Jobe continued to work for the Dodgers until his retirement in 1988. He passed away in 2014 at the age of 88.

The operation itself

It was a minimally invasive procedure performed by Dr. Joseph D’Angelo, the Red Sox team physician. In a statement, the team said that Ellsbury would miss four to six weeks.

The surgery was successful, and Ellsbury is expected to make a full recovery. He will begin his rehabilitation immediately, and the team is hopeful that he will be back in the lineup by early May.

This is good news for the Red Sox who are off to a slow start this season. Ellsbury is one of their best players, and his absence has been felt in the lineup. With him out of the lineup, the Red Sox have been forced to rely on young players like Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts to step up and fill the void.

The team is hopeful that Ellsbury will be able to return and help them turn things around. In the meantime, they will continue to rely on their young players to carry the load.

The long road to recovery

Tom Gallagher had been trying out for baseball teams since he was eight years old. A pitcher with a strong arm and good control, he had all the talent he needed to make it to the majors. But something always seemed to hold him back. He was released by the Kansas City Royals after just one season in the minors, and his career seemed over before it had even begun.

Gallagher didn’t give up on his dream, though. He kept working hard, and finally got another chance when he was signed by the San Diego Padres in 2001. He made his Major League debut that year, and went on to have a very successful career.

It hasn’t been easy for Gallagher, though. He’s had to overcome a lot of adversity, and has had to work hard every step of the way. But his story is an inspiration to everyone who has ever dreamed of playing baseball at the highest level

The comeback- 1974 World Series

In 1974, the Oakland A’s and the Los Angeles Dodgers met in the World Series The A’s, who had won the previous year’s championship, were the favorites to win again. But the Dodgers had other plans. Led by slugger Steve Garvey they won the first two games of the series.

In Game 3, the A’s looked like they might get back on track when they took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning But Dodgers relief pitcher Mike Marshall had other ideas. He retired the side in order, sending the game to Extra Innings

In the bottom of the Tenth Inning A’s pinch hitter pinch-hitter Herb Washington hit a grounder to Dodgers third baseman Ron Cey. Cey threw to first baseman Garvey for what should have been an easy out. But Garvey dropped the ball, allowing Washington to reach first base safely.

The next batter, Allen Lewis, then hit a grounder to Cey. Once again, Cey tried to make an easy out by throwing to first base. But once again, Garvey dropped the ball — this time it rolled all the way into foul territory Washington scored from first base on the play, giving the A’s a 4-3 victory and new life in the series.

The A’s went on to win Games 4 and 5 before losing Game 6. That set up a dramatic seventh game, which is considered one of the greatest baseball games of all time. The A’s trailed 3-2 in bottom of ninth inning but came back to score two runs and win their second consecutive World Series championship — thanks in large part to Herb Washington and Steve Garvey’s costly error

The legacy of Tommy John surgery

Tommy John surgery, named after the first professional baseball player to undergo the procedure, is a treatment for a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in the elbow. The surgery involves replacing the damaged ligament with a healthy tendon from another part of the body. The procedure was first performed in 1974, and since then, it has saved the careers of many professional athletes.

While Tommy John surgery is most commonly associated with baseball players it can be performed on any athlete who tears their UCL. The success rate of the surgery is high, and most athletes are able to return to their previous level of competition.

The legacy of Tommy John surgery goes beyond just the individual athletes who have benefited from the procedure. Tommy John surgery has changed the way that we think about injury prevention and treatment in all sports. It is a prime example of how innovation and technology can be used to improve the lives of athletes.

The current state of baseball and Tommy John surgery

Since the dawn of baseball, players have been searching for ways to improve their performance on the field. In recent years one of the most controversial methods of player improvement has been the use of Tommy John surgery.

Named after the first player to successfully undergo the surgery, Tommy John surgery is a procedure that replaces the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow with a tendon from elsewhere in the body. The surgery is successful in about 85-95% of cases, and can be a lifesaver for professional pitchers whose careers would otherwise be over.

However, some people believe that the increased use of Tommy John surgery is contributing to an overall decline in the quality of play in Major League Baseball They argue that too many players are coming back from surgery with diminished velocity and decreased ability to pitch deep into games. As a result, they believe that baseball is becoming less exciting to watch.

Whether or not you believe that Tommy John surgery is harming baseball, there is no denying that it has become a major part of the game in recent years With more and more players undergoing the procedure, it seems likely that its impact on the sport will only continue to grow.

The future of baseball and Tommy John surgery

With the Number of players undergoing Tommy John surgery on the rise, there is concern about the future of baseball Will the game be able to survive if so many players are regularly missing time due to injury?

One of the most promising young pitchers in the game is Tomoyuki Sugano, who has developed a special training regimen that has helped him avoid injury. If more pitchers can follow Sugano’s lead, there is hope that baseball will be able to continue thrivin in spite of the increased risk of injury.

Tommy John- the man, the myth, the legend

Thomas Edward John Jr. (born May 22, 1943), nicknamed “Tommy John”, is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 26 seasons between 1963 and 1989. He is perhaps best known for the surgically repaired ligament in his pitching elbow, which bears his name: “Tommy John surgery.”

John won 288 games and lost 231 while compiling a 3.34 earned run average (ERA). He helped the Dodgers to win four National League (NL) pennants and two World Series championships. He also played on two World Series winning teams with the Yankees.

John was an All-Star for three seasons and 20-game winner for four seasons. He holds the MLB record for most wins by a pitcher with only one career All-Star selection. He also produced 10 quality starts in 15 postseason appearances, giving him a winning record of 7–4 in the playoffs. In 1982, he had his best season, finishing with a 21–9 win–loss record, 2.97 ERA, 163 strikeouts and career highs in wins and winning percentage (.700). As of 2019, John ranks seventh on baseball’s all-time hits allowed per nine innings pitched list (8).