MLB pitcher and former La Quinta resident Tommy John passes away at age 83

Of all the omissions in Cooperstown for the Baseball Hall of Fame – and there are many – none is more obvious and wrong than the remarkable, durable and very FAMOUS Tommy John.

John, who lived most of the last 15 years in La Quinta, passed away Sunday, Aug. 16, at hospice care in Florida, according to a message posted on social media by his agent.

As a pitcher alone, he should be enshrined. His 288 career victories over 26 seasons are the most for any pitcher not in the Hall (with the exception of Roger Clemens). 

He won more games than many Hall of Fame pitchers, including Bob Gibson, Bert Blyleven, Jim Palmer, Robin Roberts, Jack Morris, Bob Feller, Jim Kaat, Juan Marichal (by 35 wins) and Whitey Ford (by 42 wins)

John started 526 games, completed 125, was a 20-game winner three times and made four All-Star teams.  He was 6-3 in the post-season, went 87-42 in six years with the Dodgers, and at age 44 went 13-7 with the Yankees.

Indeed, those are all Hall of Fame credentials. 

But, of course, there is more to his story. In 1975, he underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery on his left shoulder.  It was a revolutionary procedure that saved John’s Career.  It is now known as Tommy John Surgery and has extended hundreds of pitchers’ careers. 

He won more games (164) after the surgery than before (124).

“It’s amazing how many careers that surgery saved,” John once said.  “It was just an experimental surgery.  I would have tried many things to come back and pitch.  Thank God it worked.  It was such a blessing. The only thing I hate is that years later it’s needed more than ever and that’s sad.”

John was a long-time Valley resident and spoke at our Baseball Luncheons more than once.  As he was during his long career, TJ was always open, funny and brutally honest.  He knew he belonged in Cooperstown and didn’t shy away from the subject. “They’ll have to come get me,” he said. 

“When they operated on my elbow I told them to put on a Koufax fastball. They did. It was Mrs. Koufax’s”

He began saying his good-byes two weeks ago in a letter to the Yankees on Old-Timers Day.

 “I want to thank the Yankees organization and the Steinbrenner family for giving me this opportunity to say goodbye to everyone,” John wrote, “along with all the friends and fans who followed me throughout my 26-year career.”

It is the Hall of FAME and how many players are more famous than Tommy John?

Come on, Cooperstown, put him in!

Pete Donovan is a Palm Desert resident and former Los Angeles Times sports reporter. He can be reached atplays4pars@aol.com

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: MLB pitcher and former La Quinta resident Tommy John passes away at age 83