Sports

Terribly Awesome Baseball Card: Tommy John

By September 17, 2014June 18th, 2018No Comments

tommy-john-yankees-cardWith the expression on his face, it looks like Tommy John is undergoing Tommy John surgery as this photo for his baseball card was taken. Much like Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Tommy John Surgery has become more famous than the man himself. If you don’t believe that statement, try typing their names into a Google search box and this is what you will see:

These two men were stricken with medical ailments that were so messed up that doctors didn’t even have a name for them yet. Obviously, John faired better than Gehrig. A severe elbow injury in 1974 left doctors wondering if Tommy would ever be capable of taking the mound again. A revolutionary surgery removed a forearm tendon and used it to replace an elbow ligament prolonging Tommy’s career by fourteen seasons. Tommy John Surgery is now one of the most common medical procedures in baseball with more than an 85% success rate.

Now, about that Google search. Tommy John Underwear? It turns out Tommy John Underwear has no relation to Major League Baseball’s Tommy John, but you are welcome for the mental image of this man in underwear.

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Jim Gruseck

Jim Gruseck

Jim is a life-long hoops junkie and fan of Pittsburgh sports. He can still be found in the Steel City pursuing creative endeavors in writing and music, when he's not traveling the world or stacking donkeys at the poker tables.