TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Terre Haute native and MLB pitcher Tommy John tragically passed away at the age of 83 after going into hospice care after a recurrence of bladder cancer. Not only did he leave a lasting impact on baseball, but also on the city of Terre Haute. When people hear the name Tommy John, most think of the elbow surgery that has helped prolong a pitcher's career in baseball. For president of Dorsett Automotive, Brian Dorsett, Tommy John was a hero and a teammate. "I was able to catch him during spring training a couple times, which was a dream come true," Dorsett said. "Truly appreciated my time getting to know him as a player on the same ballclub, but at the same time, he was my hero growing up, watching him being from Terre Haute, north side of Terre Haute, where I grew up; he was the guy I looked up to."
Tommy John pens letter thanking fans and New York Yankees as he enters hospice care
John passed away after recently being in hospice care. "His health had gone down a lot, and it was hard for him to get around, and I knew that he wouldn't have wanted to live his best life that way," Dorsett said. "We're going to miss him a lot; he did a lot for us." Dorsett, a Terre Haute native as well, played with Tommy John on the New York Yankees in 1989. To him, John was a teacher and a mentor. "You walked away with some new information that you didn't know prior to meeting him that day or whatever day it was," Dorsett said. "Getting to know him even better, you found out more things. You talk to him about that and I think you realize he's a down-to-earth guy, but at the same time, he was one of those guys that any player would have been blessed to be around and benefit from." Dorsett even got to see first-hand how important the surgery named after Tommy John can be for pitchers. "My roommate in college, he had the same surgery," Dorsett said. "So, very thankful that he did that. It's Tommy John surgery and, like I said, he's all Famer in my mind. I'm thankful that he was from Terre Haute and got a chance to know him." John had nearly 300 wins and over 2,000 strikeouts over his 26-year career in the MLB.
Tommy John passes away at 83
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