1987 Profile: Tommy John

"When Tommy John broke his thumb in a freak accident that ended his season last year, the veteran pitcher simply said, 'It's a shame to see it end this way. It wasn't the way I planned it.' But when John offered his resignation as pitching coach at the University of North Carolina, the Yankees brought him back for a more suitable end to an outstanding career.
At age 43, the veteran lefty has overcome adversity throughout his career. Last year was no exception. A back strain destroyed his outside shot of making the club in the spring, but when the call came in May he was ready. With his bionic arm, John won three straight games for the Yankees, finishing the year with an impressive 5-3 mark.
How long can this ageless wonder continue to baffle hitters? The Yankees are betting on one more year with John."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"He came to New York's spring camp as a non-roster invitee and appeared in three games, starting once. His spring numbers were 0-0, 2.00 ERA in nine innings pitched, two runs, nine hits, two walks and eight strikeouts.
The veteran southpaw was signed as a free agent on May 2 and made his first regular season appearance with the Yankees that day, pitching 2.1 innings in relief against Texas and allowing one run. It was his first appearance in a Yankee uniform since August 29, 1982 at Toronto, his final outing prior to the August 31 trade that sent him to California, and his first game as a Yankee at Yankee Stadium since August 24, 1982.
T.J. appeared in eight games, posting a 3-1, 3.62 mark before suffering a strained left Achilles tendon, forcing him on to the 21-disabled list on June 12. While on the disabled list, Tommy was assigned to Ft. Lauderdale under the guidelines of baseball's injury rehabilitation program on July 25, remaining there through August 7. While in Florida he appeared in three games, going 2-0, 0.00 ERA including a shutout.
He was activated from the disabled list on August 8, and won his next two starts in impressive fashion, combining for no runs in 7.2 innings pitched on August 8 against Kansas City and in 7.1 innings pitched against Cleveland on August 13. Tommy suffered a bruised left instep after being hit by a comebacker off the bat of Seattle's Alvin Davis in his August 19 start; x-rays were eventually taken, the results of which were negative. He tossed his first complete game in over two years on August 30 at Seattle, losing the 1-0 decision (his most recent complete game and shutout had been on July 8, 1984 with California against Boston).
Tommy's season came to an end when he suffered a fractured left thumb when he fell off the bullpen pitching mound in Oakland on September 3. Although he announced on July 24 that he would become the pitching coach at the University of North Carolina, he resigned the position on November 21, a month after assuming his duties.
T.J. began the 1982 season with the Yankees and was 10-10 with a 3.60 ERA before the August 31 trade that sent him to California. With New York, he threw shutouts against both the Angels on April 28 and Blue Jays on May 25 and won four of his last five decisions as a Yankee. He made seven starts with California, going 4-2, and pitched a complete game 8-3 victory against Milwaukee in ALCS Game 1. In 1983, Tommy led the Angel staff in starts and innings pitched. He suffered his first losing season since 1971, yet nine of his 13 defeats came in games in which the Angels scored two or fewer runs. He was 8-6 with a 2.64 ERA at home, 3-7 with a 7.13 ERA on the road. Tommy made his 600th major league appearance on July 15 at Baltimore.
In 1984 he held opponents to three or fewer runs in his first 11 starts, pitching to a 3-3, 2.48 mark. He had four complete games by the All-Star break, including a 4-0 shutout over Boston on July 8- career shutout No. 45- and recorded career win No. 250- a 2-hitter against Oakland on May 1. Tommy struck out Yankee Omar Moreno on May 18 to record career strikeout No. 2000. He dropped five of seven decisions in the second half before shifting to the bullpen on September 5.
T.J. began the 1985 season in the Angel starting rotation but was both starting and relieving after his first four starts. He was 1-3 with a 4.26 ERA as a starter, 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in relief; his Angel wins came on April 28, starting at Seattle, and on May 11 in relief at Milwaukee.
He was released by the Angels on June 19, was signed by Modesto (the Class-A California League affiliate of Oakland) on July 12, and was 0-0 with a 5.73 ERA at Modesto. Tommy was then assigned to Madison (of the Class-A Midwest League), another A's affiliate, and appeared in one game, going 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA. He was signed to a major league contract by the A's on July 26.
Tommy made his first [major league] appearance since June 5, and first start since June 2, that day at Milwaukee, notching his first of two wins with Oakland. The other win came in Oakland on August 27 against New York, throwing seven scoreless innings while giving up only three hits. After that, he went on to lose his final five starts (21 earned runs, 20.2 innings pitched, 9.14 ERA).
T.J. made his first career appearance [with Cleveland] on September 6, 1963, a relief stint at Washington, and his first career start came on September 14 at Los Angeles, losing the 4-3 decision. He notched his first career win on May 3, 1964, a 6-0 shutout over Baltimore.
In 1965 Tommy recorded the first of his 16 double-figure-win seasons, going 14-7 [with the Chicago White Sox], and recorded all three of his American League saves. He tied for the AL lead with six shutouts in 1966, and recorded the first victory by an AL pitcher at Anaheim Stadium, beating the Angels 3-1 on April 19. He tied for the AL lead with five shutouts in 1967, and in 1968 went 10-5 with a 1.98 ERA until suffering a broken collarbone in a fight with Detroit's Dick McAuliffe in early August.
T.J. led the White Sox staff with a 3.26 ERA in 1969 and averaged seven innings per start. His total of 271 innings pitched in 1970 still remains his second highest single season total, and he matched his career high of 138 strikeouts. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers after his third straight sub-.500 year in 1971.
In 1972, Tommy lost just two games in 23 starts made after May 17, while winning eight. He damaged his left elbow in a collision at home plate on September 23 against San Francisco and underwent surgery for the removal of bone chips five days later. He led NL pitchers with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage (56 total chances) in '72 and recorded his 1,000th career strikeout on June 25 against Atlanta. With a 16-7 mark in 1973, T.J. led the N.L. with a .696 won-lost percentage, winning his last five decisions. He recorded his 100th career win on June 8 against the Mets at Shea. His 3.10 ERA led the Dodger staff.
Tommy was 13-3 in 1974 and was the top winner in the National League when he ruptured a ligament in his left elbow on July 17 while pitching against Montreal. His .813 won-lost percentage stood up as the best in the league, despite not pitching again. At first it was thought the condition would improve with rest, but surgery was eventually prescribed. The operation was performed on September 25 as a tendon from his right forearm was removed and used in the reconstruction of his left elbow. The operation, performed by Dr. Frank Jobe, was the first of its kind on an athlete, and Jobe told Tommy he would never pitch again.
Following surgery, Tommy spent the entire 1975 season on the disabled list. He used that time undergoing therapy, running and exercising his newly reconstructed left elbow.
T.J. made one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history in 1976, earning NL Comeback Player of the Year honors from the Sporting News. He also won the Fred Hutchinson Award given annually to the player who best exemplifies the competitive instincts, character and desire of Fred Hutchinson. His 3.09 ERA was sixth best in the league. His best outings came on July 23, throwing a 4-hitter against San Diego, and on September 14, shutting out the Reds.
One of five 20-game winners in the NL in 1977, Tommy was one of four NL pitchers to win eight straight, June 18- August 3. He was NL Player of the Week, August 8-14, hurling a 2-hitter over the Reds and a 4-hitter over Atlanta, and on August 8 hit his first homer since 1968. His 2.78 ERA was fifth in the NL and he finished second to Steve Carlton in the Cy Young Award voting. Tommy won 14 of his last 17 decisions and won the NLCS clincher in rain over Philadelphia.
In 1978 T.J. was 4-0, 1.80 ERA in April and 3-1, 1.95 ERA in July. He had three relief outings with a win and a save, allowing no runs. He threw a 4-hit shutout over Philadelphia in the second game of the NLCS and beat the Yankees in the World Series opener, 11-5.
[With the Yankees] in 1979 Tommy won at least 20 games (21) for the second time in his career, finishing second in the AL to Mike Flanagan, and his 2.96 ERA was second in the league to teammate Ron Guidry's 2.78. He was tied for fourth with 36 games started, tied for second with 17 complete games, second with 276.1 innings pitched, tied for sixth with three shutouts and sixth with a .692 won-lost percentage. His nine homers allowed were the fewest among AL starters.
Tommy won his first nine decisions of '79 and 10 of his first 11. He was the American League's first ever Pitcher of the Month in April, going 4-0 with a 1.12 ERA. Tommy made his only relief appearance of the year on May 1 at California. He recorded four straight complete game wins from May 5-20, and his best game of the year was a 2-0, 2-hit shutout over Boston on May 20. T.J. was AL Player of the Week, May 14-20, with a 2-0, 1.50 mark.
He was named the left-handed starter on the UPI All-Star team. He became only the eighth pitcher to win 20 games in both leagues; the others were Jerry Koosman, Andy Messersmith, Gaylord Perry, Ferguson Jenkins, Joe McGinnity, Jesse Tannehill and Al Orth.
His 22 wins in 1980 are a career high. That year he led the AL with six shutouts, was tied for second with Mike Norris in wins, tied for fourth in both starts and complete games, fifth in innings pitched, tied for fifth with a .710 won-lost percentage and finished fourth in the Cy Young voting.
Tommy won his 200th career game, a 2-hit shutout at Seattle on June 6, and threw three shutouts in three starts against Chicago. He won five of his last seven decisions and seven of his last ten. He was named to his fourth All-Star team and was voted by the players to the Sporting News All-Star squad as the left-handed pitcher. At 43-18, Tommy was the winningest pitcher in the majors for the '79 and '80 seasons.
His 2.64 ERA in 1981 was fourth best in the AL, yet the Yankees scored just 12 runs in his eight losses. He cut his left index finger on a razor on June 5 and was placed on the DL. He was reactivated on August 9 for the second half [after the strike].
On August 13 his three-year-old son Travis fell from a third-floor window and was critically injured. Throughout the ordeal, Tommy missed just one start, joining the team only on days he pitched. Tommy pitched five consecutive complete games from September 3 to September 25.
T.J. won Game 2 of the World Series against his former Dodger teammates. He was the winningest pitcher [in the AL] from 1979-81 with a 52-36 record.
Tommy grew up in Terre Haute, Indiana. He received 35 scholarship offers upon graduation from Gerstmeyer High School, where he played both basketball and baseball. He attended Indiana State in Terre Haute, and following the 1979 season was given the Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest award given by the school. An avid golfer, he has hosted the Tommy John Celebrity Invitational Golf Classic for the past 10 years, with proceeds directed to Children's Hospital of Los Angeles for cancer research. Tommy also works with the International Save-A-Child group and the March of Dimes.
Tommy enjoys reading and World War II history, and his favorite spectator sports are golf, pro and college basketball, hockey and basketball. The Chicago Cubs were his favorite team as a youngster and his favorite players were Hank Sauer and Whitey Ford. His toughest opponents: Joe Morgan, Wade Boggs, Roberto Clemente and Billy Williams; his favorite ballpark: Yankee Stadium; and Tommy John, Sr. helped his career the most.
T.J. has worn #25 for 23 years. His favorite entertainers are Don Rickles and Willie Nelson. His favorite restaurant is Chanteclair in Indianapolis, Indiana.
He has authored two books, 'The Tommy John Story' and, with his wife Sally, 'The Sally and Tommy John Story.' The latter book recounts qualities of love and caring and how their Christian faith helped sustain them through near tragedy when their son Travis (age 3 at the time) fell 27 feet from an apartment window on August 13, 1981, and survived a 14-day coma and a one-month hospital stay. Travis is fine today."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide