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Why Tommy John Is Against the Surgery That Bears His Name
The baseball legend says the procedure is too commonplace among sports-obsessed teens
Tommy John shows his scar from the surgery that bears his name. Michael J. Lebrecht II/Getty Images of a certain age, you might think of the four-time All-Star pitcher who won 288 major league games. That lucky fellow is me. But to most Americans, the words “Tommy John” mean something different: . In particular, the once-revolutionary elbow surgery that saved my career in the mid-1970s, a procedure that’s now so common that even people who’ve never heard of me have heard of the operation that bears my name. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. In 1974, when I became the first person to have a damaged ligament in my elbow surgically reconstructed, I was thrilled. It saved my pitching arm halfway through my 26-year baseball career. I had no idea it would be called Tommy John surgery until a decade later, when the surgeon who pioneered the method, Frank Jobe, told me it was easier when describing the technique — ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction — to simply say, “You know, that surgery I did on Tommy John.” It doesn’t bother me to watch my legacy being upstaged by an operation that has saved plenty of ballplayers’ careers. What does bother me is that my name is now attached to something that affects more children than pro athletes. I was in my 30s and playing major league ball for nearly a dozen years before needing the operation. Today, 57 percent of all Tommy John surgeries are done on kids between 15 and 19 years old. One in 7 of those kids will never fully recover. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers > For more about your health, visit . My childhood was the opposite of what’s being pushed on many kids today. I never had one professional lesson, and my only coach up until age 16 was my dad. Sure, my friends and I were always active, but we never played the same sport all year and didn’t have complicated schedules. I’ve noticed that most pro athletes had a similar childhood. They all juggled multiple sports, took time off and never overdid it growing up. They were into baseball, football and basketball simply because they loved them. Youth sports were merely a pastime, not a business. And most of all, no one was having unnecessary surgeries. Tommy John pitching in the 1980s Focus on Sport/Getty Images It’s hard seeing so many kids being pushed the way they are today, and getting hurt as a result. As the father of a son who also shares my name — Tommy John III, a chiropractor who works with many injured young athletes — this fight is personal. My hope, whether I’m around to see it or not, is that the next time you hear “Tommy John,” you’ll remember an athlete and his son who tried to call attention to what may be happening with our grandchildren, instead of a surgery — or any unnecessary injury or procedure, for that matter — that no child should ever suffer in the first place. This essay is adapted from Tommy John's forward to Minimize Injury, Maximize Performance by Tommy John III. More on health AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS