MLB legend Tommy John dies at 83 just days after writing emotional goodbye letter

MLB legend Tommy John has died at the age of 83 surrounded by his family. The news comes just days after the baseball icon penned an emotional goodbye letter as he went into hospice care in Florida. Tommy John has died at the age of 83, his agent has confirmed Credit: Getty John’s staggering 26-year Major League career saw him become the namesake for a pioneering surgery in 1974 Credit: Getty John died peacefully at his home in Lakewood Ranch alongside his wife Cheryl and other members of their family, his agent said. The four-time All-star pitcher announced in 2024 that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer, though it is unclear if this is why he went into hospice. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! John’s staggering 26-year Major League career saw him win 288 games and be selected in 1968, 1978, 1979, and 1980. He played for the Cleveland Guardians, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, California Angels, Oakland Athletics, and New York Yankees. The star pitcher even became famous for having a surgery named after him which has been performed on over 2,500 professional players since it was first done for John in 1974 after he tore his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). His emotional final letter was shared at an Old Timer’s Day celebration at the Yankee Stadium last weekend. “I want to thank the Yankees organization & the Steinbrenner family for giving me this opportunity to say goodbye to everyone, along with all the friends & fans who followed me throughout my 26-year career,” he wrote. “Thanks to Dr Jobe, who saved my arm & made it possible for me to continue pitching. Most read in Sport “That surgery has since gone on to save the careers of countless pitchers, including many of the very best in the game today. “Thank you to all the fans who supported me & my teammates for 26 years. I will never forget you. “The day I left for my first job as a pitcher, my father looked at me & said, ‘Good luck, Tommy. Just remember one thing: whether you make it big in the big leagues or you don’t, you’ll always just be Tommy John from Terre Haute, Indiana.’ “I’ve never forgotten those words. Thank you & God Bless.” A private celebration of his life is being held in Florida with the family asking for donations to the Duke University Medical Fund. Comment now