Manufacturer: Topps
Set: 1964 Topps Baseball ➡️
Player Name: Tommy John
Position/Team: Pitcher for Indians
Card #: 146
Card Size: 2-1/2” x 3-1/2”
Card Values: See Pricing Table Below
Thomas Edward “Tommy” John Jr. is a name synonymous with baseball, not just for his impressive 26-season pitching career (1963-1989), but for pioneering a revolutionary surgical procedure that bears his name. Nicknamed “the Bionic Man” due to his successful return to pitching after that surgery, John’s career is a testament to longevity, consistency, and medical innovation.
Tommy John’s career stretched across four decades, from his debut with the Cleveland Indians in 1963 to his final game with the New York Yankees in 1989. John was a left-handed pitcher known for his control, intelligent pitching, and ability to keep hitters off balance, rather than overpowering them with velocity. Before his career-altering injury, John was already a very good pitcher. He spent time with the Cleveland Indians (1963-1964) and the Chicago White Sox (1965-1971), where he had several solid seasons.
After being traded to the Dodgers, John was having a career year in 1974, with a 13-3 record and a 2.59 ERA, when disaster struck. In July 1974, John tore the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left elbow, an injury that was then considered career-ending for pitchers. However, a pioneering orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Frank Jobe, proposed an experimental procedure: reconstructive surgery using a tendon from another part of John’s body (his right forearm). John, facing retirement, agreed to be the first professional athlete to undergo what is now universally known as Tommy John Surgery. After missing the entire 1975 season for recovery and rehabilitation, John made an incredible return in 1976. Not only did he pitch again, but he did so at an even higher level, becoming a better pitcher in the second half of his career than he was before the surgery.
He helped lead the Dodgers to the World Series in 1977 and 1978, and the New York Yankees (where he signed as a free agent) to the World Series in 1981. He was a four-time All-Star (1968, 1978, 1979, 1980).
After retiring, Tommy John has remained involved in baseball as a coach and advocate.
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Pricing Data For This Rookie Card
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