Tommy John, MLB pitcher whose elbow surgery revolutionized baseball, dies at 83

Tommy John, the Major League Baseball pitcher who in 1974 became the first to undergo ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, died at 83, leaving behind a legacy that transcends statistics. At a moment when a torn ligament meant the end of a career, John chose the uncertain path of experimental surgery, and in doing so, transformed not only his own fate but the possibilities available to generations of athletes. His name became a medical term — a rare honor that speaks to how profoundly one person's willingness to be first can reshape an entire field of human endeavor.