Tommy John couldn’t make it to Yankees Old-Timers’ Day on Saturday, so he sent something else: a farewell letter. The 83-year-old former pitcher, whose name is now shorthand for the elbow surgery that reshaped sports medicine, sent a message thanking the Yankees, late surgeon Frank Jobe, late owner George Steinbrenner, and fans amid reports of declining health, reports USA Today.
“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,” it reads. John has battled bladder cancer and other issues in recent years, though his letter didn’t explicitly cite them, notes ESPN. Reuters reports that John is in hospice care at his home in Bradenton, Florida.
John, a 288-game winner who returned to pitch 14 more seasons after the 1974 operation that now bears his name, closed with advice his father gave him before his first pro job: No matter what happened, he’d still be “Tommy John from Terre Haute, Indiana.” He added, “I’ve never forgotten those words. Thank you & God bless.”