Tommy John

At 80 years old, Tommy John physical status not available right now. We will update Tommy John's height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, and measurements.

Thomas Edward John Jr. (born May 22, 1943) is an American retired professional baseball pitcher who competed in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 26 seasons from 1963 to 1989.

He was a member of the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, California Angels, and Oakland Athletics.

He was a four-time MLB All-Star. John's 288 victories in totality rank as the seventh-highest total among left-handers in major league history.

He made 188 appearances in his career, setting a new all-time MLB record for starting pitchers (dating back to at least 1908).

He is also known for the surgical treatment of ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, also known as "Tommy John surgery," which he underwent in 1974 after fracturing the ligament in his throwing arm.

Despite a poor start, John was the first pitcher to recover from the surgery, and he's gone back to being a good pitcher as a result of his success following his recovery.

It has since been a common practice among baseball pitchers.

Early life

John grew up in Terre Haute, Indiana. He played sandlot ball with other children as a child, either at Spencer Field or Woodrow Wilson Field. Arley Andrews, a former minor league pitcher and a friend of John's father, taught John to throw a curveball, which would be John's main pitch. John was a great baseball and basketball player at Gerstmeyer High School in Terre Haute, Indiana. He had a 28–2 record as a pitcher. As John graduated as Gerstmeyer's 1961 valedictorian, athletics did not get in the way of his schoolwork. Because of his stutter, school faculty barred John from delivering a valedictory address. Several colleges recruited John as a basketball player, including the University of Kentucky, but John also noticed the Cleveland Indians' scout Johnny Schulte, who was concerned that John needed more than a fastball to succeed, but considered his curveball a major league pitch. After graduating, John picked baseball and signed with the Indians, being assigned to the Dubuque Packers of the Class D Midwest League.

Personal life

"A churchgoer, a good-natured family man," George Vecsey of The New York Times described John as "a churchgoer, a good-natured family man." Tommy married Sally Simmons, a former soldier on July 13, 1970. They are the parents of four children: Tamara, Tommy III, Travis, and Taylor. In 2014, John and his partner, Cheryl Zeldin, who had been married to as of January 2022, moved to California with his girlfriend, Cheryl Zeldin.

Tamara John married Patrick Mannelly in 1998, who went on to become a long snapper for the Chicago Bears. Both the two students met at Duke University. Taylor's singing and acting skills as a 10-year-old boy earned him a role in Les Misérables on Broadway. He and his brothers also played Little League Baseball, as did his parents. Taylor died on March 9, 2010, apparently as a result of a seizure and heart failure due to a prescription drug overdose. "He was the world's best kid, but he'd be thrown into these panic spells and deep abysses," John said of Taylor. "He was wired differently than the majority of us." The "Let's Do It" charity, founded by John, is dedicated to raising suicide awareness and preventing suicides.

Tommy III, John's oldest son, played for the Furman University Paladins. He was a 4-year letterman for the Paladins, leading the team in complete games (1997 (3 games) and in home runs (9) in 1999, a year in which he was proclaimed an All-Southern Conference participant. He became one of three players in Furman's varsity baseball team's history to qualify for the cycle in 2000, and he did so against the Appalachian State Mountaineers on April 1st. He spent two seasons with the Tyler Roughnecks and Schaumburg Flyers as a pitcher after graduating from Furman. John is a chiropractor who has written a book called Minimize Injury, Maximize Performance: A Sports Parents' Survival Guide, which addresses the dangers faced by young athletes who specialize in one particular sport and suggests that youth avoid being required to have major sports-related surgery, such as Tommy John surgery.

On September 1, 1989, John's hometown of Terre Haute, Indiana, was awarded a key to the town, and Indiana governor Evan Bayh awarded him the Sagamore of the Wabash, Indiana's highest award. The Terre Haute Parks Department honored John by renaming Spencer Field after him on October 24, 2013. The complex was the site of John's last non-professional game in 1961, when he was a fan of the Terre Haute Gerstmeyer High School Black Cats.

John eventually recovered from his stuttering addiction and a reputation as one of baseball's most conversational players. "Ask Tommy John what time it is, and he'll show you how to make a watch," Lemon said. He became a motivational speaker after his career. He has no connection to the Tommy John Underwear company and considered suing the founder for the use of his name, but decided against it after attorneys wanted $250,000 to represent him. Since the game was unrecognizable as of 2019, he was no longer watching baseball. In 2018, he was accepted into the Shrine of the Eternals of the Baseball Reliquary.

Source

Playing career

In 1961, John had a 10-four record, but in 1962, he had some issues with the Charleston Indians of the Class A Eastern League. "I was rearing back on every pitch and firing with all my power at the strike zone," he said. "I kept getting behind in the ball-and-strike count, sometimes running it to three runs and no strikes, so I only had to bring my fastball right over the plate and get it creamed." This resulted in a lot of walking, but player-coach Steve Jankowski worked with him, ensuring that John throw less often so that he would have more control. John was drafted into the Class AAA Jacksonville Suns of the International League earlier this year, and John won two games with the playoffs. He began with Jacksonville in 1963, was sent down to Charleston, went 9–2 for the West Virginian Indians, and was promoted to the major leagues in September at the age of twenty.

John started what would be a 26-year major league career on September 6, 1963, allowing one unearned run in a 7–2 loss to the Washington Senators in one inning. He began the year as a relief and was used at first. Despite being 0–2, his earnings ran average (ERA) was 2.21. Birdie Tebbetts, the Cleveland manager, dubbed his fastball "deceptive."

In his first game of a doubleheader, John threw a shutout against the Baltimore Orioles on May 3, his first big league victory of the season. He won two of his first three games but then lost eight decisions in a row and was sent to AAA (now the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League) in July. Early Wynn, the Indians' pitching coach, had been attempting to persuade John to release a slider, but John changed his tactics, affecting his command. In the minors, he was back to throwing just a fastball and a curveball, and the Indians had called him up for a few games in September. He was sent by the Chicago White Sox as part of a three-way trade between Cleveland, Chicago, and the Kansas City Athletics, which sent Rocky Colavito to Cleveland after the season.

In relief, John's first appearances with the White Sox were in relief. He and Juan Pizarro alternately spent time in Chicago's fifth starter in the rotation during the first half of the 1965 season. However, he had established himself within the team's starting rotation by the second half. On September 25, he held the New York Yankees to one run and scored a go-ahead home run over Bill Stafford, giving him a 3–1 victory. He had a 14-07 record, a 3.09 ERA, 58 walks, and 162 hits allowed in 183+227 innings in 39 games (27 starts).

By 1966, boss Eddie Stanky had named John his Opening Day starter. With five shutouts in the season, he tied for the American League (AL) lead. Two of these games, May 7 versus the Detroit Tigers and August 12 against the California Angels, occurred on days when the White Sox only scored one run for him. He had a 14–11 record, a 2.62 ERA, 138 strikeouts, 56 walks, and 195 hits in 223 innings in 34 games (33 starts). His 2.62 ERA finished fifth in the league, with his ten complete games tied for ninth (with Mudcat Grant).

In 1967, John led the AL in shutouts, this time with six. In a shutout of the Senators on June 13, he had a season-high nine strikeouts. He shut down the defending World Series champion Orioles on July 4, limiting Baltimore to two hits. After facing just two batters and not pitching again until August 20, he left a game against the Athletics on July 22. He was plagued with a severe gastrointestinal virus that caused him to shed 28 pounds in the season's second half. His record was just 10–13 at the end of the season, but his 2.47 ERA ranked fourth in the league. In 178+12 innings, he had 110 strikeouts, 47 walks, and 143 hits allowed.

1968 was John's best season in his career so far. In a 12–0 victory over the Tigers on June 30, he knocked them out in a 12–0 victory. For the first time in his career, he was accepted to the All-Star Game with a 1.78 average in the first half. He played the Indians scoreless for seven innings against Cleveland on August 9, netting the game's only run. He had a 1.98 ERA from 25 starts with the White Sox in 1968. With a 3-2 count on Dick McAuliffe, John threw a ball four over McAuliffe's head on August 22 of this year. McAuliffe, a tumultuous teenager, charged the mound and started a confrontation between the two players. McAuliffe was fined and suspended; John was not disciplined, but he tore some shoulder ligaments in the scuffle and missed the remainder of the season due to a fracture. In an interview, McAuliffe said that he still felt John was trying to hit him in that sport three years later. Ed Short, the White Sox's general manager, said it was unlikely given that the pitch was on a 3-2 count, resulting in a walk for McAuliffe. Despite the fact that pitcher ERAs dropped across baseball in 1968, John is still ranked fifth in the league. In 177+13 innings, he had a 10-5 record and gave up just 135 runs.

John recovered in time for the 1969 season, although Gary Peters got off the Opening Day with John second in the rotation. Chicago won 3–0 as John got off to a good start of the year against the Athletics on April 9, the only true game shutout. On May 10, he held the Indians scoreless for 7+2/3 innings, winning by a score of 4–0 as the White Sox defeated the White Sox. In the first game of a doubleheader, he held the Angels to one run over ten innings but lost by no-decision in a 12-inning, 2–1 loss. On September 1, John was 6-11, but he gained his last three decisions to finish the season 9-11. In a 7-0 win over the Kansas City Royals on September 19, he allowed eight hits but no runs in one of those victories. In 33 starts, John had a 3.25 ERA, 128 strikeouts, 90 walks, and 230 hits allowed in 232+1,3 innings.

In 1970, John got the Opening Day off, but the Twins beat the White Sox 12–0, giving up six runs (five earned) in 4+2/3 innings. In fact, he lost his first five starts before defeating the Orioles on April 30. As the White Sox defeated the Senators 6–0 on June 12, he allowed just two hits in a complete game shutout. He lost four starts in a row after that game but then won his next five decisions. The White Sox beat the Tigers 4–0 on July 26, and he allowed seven hits in a complete game shutout. In the first game of a doubleheader against the Yankees on August 23, he allowed only four hits in a complete game shutout. With a 12–17 record, John ended the year. His 17 losses tied for third in the AL, behind teammate Gerry Janeski, and teammate Joe Horlen came in fifth with 16. John finished fourth in walks (101, behind Sam McDowell's 131, Mickey Lolich's 102, and Jim Rooker's 102), and he led the AL in wild pitches, throwing what was likely to be a career-high 17. He had fewer hits allowed (253) than innings pitched (269+13), and his ERA was 3.27. Despite all his setbacks, he was the only Chicago pitcher to start ten or more games and have an ERA under 4.75.

Johnny Sain, the White Sox's pitching coach, was born in 1971, and he was determined to convince John to fire a slider more. John, who had his highest ERA since 1964, had a rough time. His ERA was 6.08 in his first 11 games, but he had a 2.97 ERA in his last 27 games. He threw a shutout in a 1–0 victory in the first game of a doubleheader against the defending World Champion Orioles. He held the Twins to three runs over ten innings on June 17. In the 11th, the White Sox pinch-hit for him, led to a 6–3 lead, but then lost 7–6 after three relievers gave up four runs in the bottom of the inning. In a 5–2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on June 29, he put out a season-high nine hitters but then gave up four runs (two earned). He had a 13-32 record, a 3.61 ERA, three shutouts, 58 walks, and 244 hits in 229+13 innings pitched in 38 games (35 starts). With Ray Culp and Dick Bosman, his 16 losses put him second in the AL, placing him seventh.

At the Winter Meetings on December 2, 1971, John was traded with Steve Huntz from the White Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Dick Allen. He did a great job with Red Adams, the Dodger pitching coach, who advised John to use his softball rather than relying on his breaking pitches. Adams said, "You'll get a lot of batters out of it," Adams said, praising John's fastball for the move. On July 12, he had 13 hits and five runs, but the Dodgers were allowed to finish the game, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies by a score of 9–5. In the 10th inning, the Dodgers defeated the New York Mets 2–1 but pitched nine innings and only allowed one unearned run, but settled for a no-decision. In a complete game, 3–0 shutout win over the San Francisco Giants on August 3, he gave up only three hits. Despite the fact that John made 29 starts for the Dodgers in 1972, his career ended prematurely on September 23, due to a broken ankle injury sustained in a game against the Giants. In the third round, John singled against Frank Reberger in the third round, advancing to second on a walk, and Bill Buckner attempted to score on a single. He slid into home, but instead of calling him out, he jammed his throwing elbow into the ground, dislodging bone chips. He lasted 1+2/3 innings before being dropped out of the game, but the year ended early and required surgery to clear out the elbow. In 186+223 innings, John had an 11-five record, a 2.89 ERA, 117 strikeouts, 40 walks, and 172 hits allowed. In the National League, his.688 winning percentage was fifth in the National League (NL).

John threw scoreless ball for 7-1 1/3 innings against the San Diego Padres on April 8, his first appearance for the Dodgers since 1973. As the Dodgers lost 16–3 by the Phillies, he allowed eight runs in just one inning, but only two were earned (the remainder were due to a Ron Cey mistake). In a 5–0, complete game shutout victory, he held the Chicago Cubs to five hits on July 13. He got off to a good start against the Phillies on August 24, limiting them to three hits in a 3–0, complete game shutout win. That game was the first of six straight decisions for John. With a 16–7 record at the end of the season, John tied for seventh in the NL in wins and led the NL with a.696 winning percentage. In 218 innings of work, he had 116 strikeouts, 50 walks, and 202 hits.

John was the Dodgers' number two starter in 1974, behind Don Sutton in the rotation. In his first game against the Padres on April 6, he toss him out and throws eight shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves four days later. In a complete game shutout that the Dodgers defeated 11-0 on April 25, he held the Phillies to four hits and no runs. It was his fifth game in a row. He won five decisions in a row on May 5 and is not losing again until June 18. He won three straight starts from June 28 to July 7.

As the Dodgers en route to their first NL pennant in eight years, John had a 13–3 record in the middle of an outstanding 1974 season. He led the NL in victories going into the All-Star break but was left off the roster, since the Dodgers already had Andy Messersmith and Mike Marshall on the team. "If I don't belong to the team, there is no justice in baseball," John said on July 17. "It really sets you back." I've had a fantastic year, I've been working hard, but I can't even be selected for the All-Star team." In that evening's game against the Montreal Expos, John suffered more disappointment. With the Dodgers up 4–0 in the third inning, John attempted to throw a sinking fastball to Hal Breeden. "I had never imagined it" at the time when I put power on the field, the point where my arm is back and bent, and the quarterback's arms were bent," he said. "It felt as if my arm had been left somewhere else." It was as if my body continued to move forward and my left arm had just flown out to right field, unfettered by the remainder of me." John had strained the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching arm; he threw one more pitch before asking manager Walt Alston to dismiss him from the game. He was uncertain how serious the injury was; the Dodgers' team doctor, Dr. Frank Jobe, advised John to rest the arm for a few days and treat it with ice. The injury had not improved after a month, but not improved. When he struggled to get enough velocity on his pitches, he told Alston that he was probably done for the season. He had a 13-three record, a 2.59 ERA, 42 strikeouts, 42 walks, and 133 hits allowed in 153 innings in 22 starts for the Dodgers. He threw three shutouts and led the NL with a.813 winning percentage.

With his future in jeopardy, John decided to encourage Dr. Jobe to perform a pioneering surgical procedure. Tommy John surgery removed the tendon from John's pitching arm's elbow. Although the procedure had already been used on others, it was still carried out on wrists and hands; John was the first baseball pitcher to have it done on his elbow. The surgery was performed on September 25, 1974, and it took four hours; Dr. Jobe made holes in John's left arm's humerus and ulna bones and used anchors to insert the tendon in a roughly figure-eight shape. As most pitchers in the past who had surgery on their arms never were able to pitch again, it seemed that John would never be able to pitch again. The job had a 100-1 chance of being profitable, but John had it anyway because his other alternative was to begin working at a friend's auto dealership in Terre Haute.

The recovery was lengthy and slow. First, John's left hand was shriveled and he lacked feeling in several of his fingers, as a result of injury to the ulnar nerve; Dr. Jobe performed a second surgery to reroute the nerve that was vital to John's complete recovery. He was in a cast until January 1975, and after it was removed, John started doing exercises seven days a week to resurrect arm strength. He began spring training with the Dodgers in 1975, but by that time, he had regained full mobility in his arm but had yet to feel in any of his fingers, preventing him from properly gripping the ball. He would tape the fingers that were missing feeling to ones that did not have it and then gracefully throw balls against a wall for a while. In addition, John worked with fellow and pitcher Mike Marshall, who earned a Master's degree in kinesiology and was expected to advise pitchers how to help them recover from injury, and he was taught how to assist pitchers in recovering from injuries. "Because of skepticism about his potential to recover," John continued to repeat Luke 1:37 to himself: "Nothing will be impossible with God."

Thenguing of John's strained fingers came back to him in June. His velocity began to rise in July, and by September, he was fit enough to play in an off-season instructional league in Arizona. Beginning in September 29, John made five appearances with the team, tossing seven innings by his final one.

After spending the entire previous year on the disabled list, John returned to the Dodgers in 1976, making him their fourth starter in their rotation. At Fulton County Stadium on April 16, he made his comeback against the Braves. "I was back in my office," John later reminisced about the day. "I went on a year-and-a-half hiatus to, you know, go abroad and study and discover the nuclear fission's dynamics, or something similar." I did all of that, and now I was back at work." Despite that he allowed three runs in five innings and lost, it was the first time any pitcher had started a game after UCL reconstruction surgery. The return of Darrell Evans of the Braves was a "miracle." Players and writers alike began referring to John as "The Bionic Man" shortly.

In a 1–0 loss to the Houston Astros, five days after the Atlanta game, John threw seven scoreless innings. He threw his first complete game since the injury, as well as against the Expos, who held to three runs in a 6–3 victory. On July 23, he was a four-hit shutout against the Padres and a 10-hit shutout against the Cincinnati Reds on September 14. In 207 innings pitched, John would make 31 starts for the Dodgers in 1976, a 10–10 record, 91 strikeouts, 61 walks, and 207 hits allowed. The Sporting News named John as the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award, recognizing his contributions, and John also received the Fred Hutchinson Award, which is given annually to a player with outstanding character and courage. After his comeback, John told The New York Times, "I thank God every day for being able to pitch." "Thanks for letting me win, but if I lose, thanks for allowing me to lose because being on the sidelines is better."

Since being dissatisfied with his work when spring training began in 1977, John threatened to apply for a free agency after the season. However, he ultimately signed a two-year, $400,000 contract with the Dodgers to continue with them. He had a 6–4 record and a 4.08 ERA through June 12. John began winning 10 straight decisions before losing another ballgame against the Cubs until August 19. During the winning streak, he had a 1.32 average, and his ERA from June 18 to the end of the season was 2.19. On July 16, he threw a complete game shut down against the Padres, scoring only four runs in a 1–0 victory. In a 4–0 complete game shutout victory over the defending World Series champion Reds on August 8, he held them to two hits. In an 11–0 victory over Atlanta on August 13, he threw a shutout in his first start, allowing four hits in his 11–0 victory over Atlanta. John played 20 games in 1977, his 14th season in Major League Baseball, finishing with a 20–7 record. He was ranked as one of the top NL winners (third, tied with Bob Forsch, Rick Reuschel, and John Candelaria) and ERA (2.78, fifth) among the top NL winners (third, fourth, fifth). John was 12th in NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting and was second second, behind Steve Carlton, who led the NL with 23 victories.

The Dodgers won the NL West with a 98–64 record. It was John's first opportunity to pitch in the playoffs for him after being hurt when the Dodgers won the division in 1974. He started Game 1 of the NL Championship Series (NLCS) against the Phillies, but he only lasted 4+2/3 innings. Bill Russell, the Dodger shortstop, made him give up four runs unearned, owing to two mistakes. That was the only Dodger loss of the season, though John won the last game of the series four days later, allowing seven hits but one run in rainy weather as the Dodgers defeated the Phillies 4–1 in Game 4. In both of his NLCS starts, John gave up fewer runs than his opponent, Carlton. In the 1977 World Series, the Dodgers faced the New York Yankees; John started Game 3 but gave up five runs (four earned) over six innings, including three in the first inning as the Yankees defeated 5–3. If the series went as far, Dodger boss Tommy Lasorda said John would start Game 7 if it went any farther, but the Yankees clinched it in six games, making Game 3 John's only appearance in the loss.

In April 1978, John won all four of his starts, but in the last three games, he played complete games. In a complete game, he held the Pittsburgh Pirates to four hits and one run, striking out seven runs on May 17. He relieved Bob Welch in the sixth inning and threw four shutout innings, giving up the victory in Los Angeles's 7-5-2 win. With a 10-6 record and a 3.80 ERA halfway through the season, John was named to the NL All-Star team for the first time in ten years and the first in a row for him. In a complete game against Montreal on August 29, he held the Expos to one unearned run in a complete game, 4–1. He had a 17–10 record, a 3.30 ERA, 53 walks, and 230 hits allowed in 213 innings in 33 games (30 starts). In Cy Young Award voting, he came in eighth.

The Dodgers won the NL West and met the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS for the second year in a row. The Dodgers beat the Dodgers 4–0 after starter John threw a four-hit shutout. The Dodgers won Game 4 to advance to their second playoff match, this time against the Yankees in the 1978 World Series. In 7+2/3 innings, John began Game 1 giving up five runs (only three of which were earned) but winning by 11 runs in Los Angeles's 11-5 victory. He had held the Yankees to two runs (one earned) through seven innings before being dismissed in the eighth after giving up a leadoff single to Paul Blair in Game 4. Blair came out to score, and John got a no-decision in a 10-inning, 4–3 loss. New York won the series in six games for the second year in a row.

John became a free agent after his deal came to an end. On November 21, he agreed to a three-year, $1.4 million contract with the New York Yankees. Despite the fact that the Royals and Reds had both been offered more money, John favored the Yankees because, as he said, "I like to play for a winner."

On April 12 and May 20, 1979, John won his first nine decisions as a Yankee, with shutout victories on April 12 and May 20, 1979. He was leading the AL in wins through July 6 and had a 13–3 record, as he had five years with the Dodgers before the surgery. In a 3–0 victory over the Athletics on the day, he threw a complete game shutout. On September 19, he held the Indians to three hits before being ruled out with two outs in the ninth after allowing a single to Toby Harrah but the Yankees to win by 2–0. With 21–9 records, 111 strikeouts, 65 walks, and 268 hits allowed in 276+1,3 innings pitched, John finished the year with a 21-9 record, 111 strikeouts (the last season he'd have more than 100 strikeouts). He came in second second second to Ron Guidry (2.96; Guidry's was 2.78), and second to Mike Flanagan in wins (Flanagan had 23). John came in 22nd in MVP voting and finished as the runner-up in Cy Young polling this time to Flanagan.

In his first appearance in the 1980 season, John won seven starts in a row, not losing until May 20. He won five starts in a row from June 30 to September 26, and he won four starts in a row from August 29 to September 13. He pitched really well against the White Sox, throwing shutouts all three times he faced them, including a two-hit appearance on April 16 when he retired 13 hitters in a row at one time. In a 5–0 shutout victory over the Twins, he held them to six hits on May 11. In a 3–0 shutout victory over the Seattle Mariners on June 6, he allowed only two hits. In the first game of a doubleheader, he held Milwaukee to four hits before tossing the Brewers 3–0 on July 22. Before Roger Clemens did it in 1986 and 1987, no other AL pitcher would win 20 games in back-to-back years. John played in 36 games before losing nine, a 3.43 ERA, 78 strikeouts, 56 walks, and 270 batters allowed in 265+13 innings pitched. His six shutouts led the AL for the first time in 13 years, marking the first time he had a league in that position. He tied for second in the AL in victories, behind Steve Stone's 25. In the Cy Young Award voting, John came in fourth place. With the Yankees losing the first two games and the Royals facing elimination by the Yankees, the Yankees won the AL East for the first time in history, and John Stark started Game 3. With the Yankees leading 2–1 in the seventh, John retired the first two batters but was replaced by Rich Gossage after losing a double to Willie Wilson; Gossage gave up a home run to George Brett a few batters later; the Yankees lost 4–2.

"I'd like to pitch as long as I can do the job," John told The New York Times in 1981 spring training. "I believe I can start another two or three years." I also think I could pitch out of the bullpen for two to three years, a la Steve Hamilton and Jim Kaat. I think I could do it well enough, as long as someone wants to pay me to do it. Everybody needs lefthanded pitching, especially in the bullpen. As the Yankees defeated the Texas Rangers by a score of 10–3, he got his first Opening Day starts for the Yankees on April 9, allowing three runs (two earned) in eight innings. The 1981 Major League Baseball strike, as well as an incident that occurred on August 13, halted his season. While the John family was enjoying their holiday home on the Jersey shore, John's two-year-old boy Travis toppled out of a window and fell three stories onto the hood of a parked vehicle. He had been in a coma for about two weeks. As John discovered out the news, he was getting a game against the Tigers. He went on national television and asked people to support his son while he recovered in New York with his son, pitching only home games in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy while staying at the Grand Hyatt Hotel near the New York Hilton Hotel. The Medical Center. Hundreds of letters and cards from well-wishers, including people who wrote that they hated the Yankees and George Steinbrenner, but were rooting for Travis to fail. Former President Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter gave Travis a goodbye, as did former President Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter. Frank Sinatra sent a telegram. Travis made a complete recovery by tossing out the first pitch at a playoff match against the Brewers later this year, and by 1988, he and his brothers were playing Little League Baseball together.

By August 29, John was back to pitching road games for the Yankees. He finished the year on a three-game losing streak, but that ended against the Orioles on September 25, where he allowed one run in a complete game, 1–0 loss. In 80 starts, John had a 9-08 record, 50 strikeouts, 39 walks, and 135 hits allowed in 140+13 innings pitched. His 2.63 ERA ranked fourth in the AL. Despite being the AL's first year as a leader, he had zero in 1981.

Because of the strike, MLB cut the season in two halves and added an extra playoff round, the Division Series, in which the first half and second-half champions of the two divisions meet each other. In the Division Series, the Yankees had the best record in the first half of the AL East and met the Brewers. In the best of five series, John started Game 3 but gave up five runs in seven innings, losing 5–3. Game 4 was won by the Brewers, but the Yankees clinch the series win in Game 5. In Game 1 of the ALCS, John allowed only one run against the Athletics, winning the game, but Ron Davis replaced him on the mound after the sixth inning because his right ankle was bothering him. Although he was strong enough to play, Yankee manager Bob Lemon did not want to risk more injury: "I'd be worried about it all winter." In three games, New York defeated Oakland, he would not have a chance to pitch again in the series. The 1981 World Series was John's third Dodger-Yankee World Series, although it was his first with New York. In a 3–0 win, he got off to a good start in Game 2 by retiring the first 12 batters he faced and throwing seven shutout innings. He was brought in during Game 4's seventh inning of a 6–6 tie because the bases were loaded, and John had a propensity for inducing ground balls, resulting in an out and possibly a double play. Steve Yeager had a sacrifice fly against him, and Davey Lopes had a single RBI run against him; John's number did not have a lot to do, but the Yankees lost the game 8–7. Game 6 began with the Yankees down to the Dodgers 3 games to 2, with the Yankees down to the Dodgers down to two games. He held the Dodgers to one run over four innings, but Bobby Murcer pinch-hit for the fourth. "I was trying to get a run up so I could get to the seventh inning and bring Goose in," Lemon said. The Yankees didn't score that inning, and the relievers did not pitch well, allowing the Dodgers to win the game and the series. Will Grimsley of the Associated Press called the decision to suspend John "a glaring mistake."

John received the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, which was given to "the Major League Baseball Player who best exemplifies Brother Lou Gehrig's spirit and character both on and off the field" during the 1981 season. After 1981, the Yankees and John almost went back to arbitration, but the Yankees and John then decided to a two-year, $1.7 million contract. "I'm so glad to get it over with and get it to bed," John said after signing. "It's like in a marriage." It's okay if you have an argument and patch it up fast. But the longer you leave it, the more difficult it is to resolve it." Despite being just 5–7, he had a 2.95 ERA from June 25-82. He had a 6.67 ERA in six games from then to July 5 (five starts). John argued with the Yankees' front office over the transfer and also for the failure to give him a $200,000 loan that had been promised in his employment; in early August, the pitcher threatened to begin a breach of contract lawsuit that would end his Yankee deal. He didn't stay in the bullpen long, as doubleheaders compelled the Yankees to use another starter and John pitched well on his return to the rotation. However, he was traded to the California Angels for three minor league players, who will be announced later today. In 30 games (26 starts) for the Yankees, John had a ten-10 record, 54 strikeouts, 34 walks, and 190 hits allowed in 186+220 runs, throwing two shutouts as well.

Because it was competing for the AL West championship, California was involved in John. In his first game with the Brewers, John held the Brewers to two runs (neither won) on a 5–2 victory. In 35 innings pitched, John got off to a 7-starting record, a 3.86 ERA, 14 strikeouts, five walks, and 49 hits allowed in 35 innings pitched as the Angels clinched the AL West. His combined numbers between New York and California were 14–12, a 3.69 ERA, 68 strikeouts, 39 walks, and 239 hits allowed in 221+239 innings. In Game 1 of the ALCS, John played for three runs against the Brewers, allowing three runs in a complete game, 8–3. When Game 4 arrived, instead of starting 13-game winner Ken Forsch, head coach Gene Mauch decided to start John on three days rest. As the Brewers defeated the Angels 9-5, John gave up six runs (four earned) over 3+13 innings; the Brewers won the series in five games.

Angel GM Buzzie Bavasi extended John's deal for three years before the 1983 season. Mike Port, the assistant, disagreed with the decision because he felt John was too old. John, California's number two starter, had a 6–2 record and a 3.43 ERA as of June 9. He only gained five of the 16 votes after that, and his ERA was 4.84. He had been outings for the Angels twice. Rickey Henderson gave up two runs over 12 innings in his second game of a doubleheader against Oakland on July 30, but lost when Rickey Henderson had an RBI single in the 12th to bring home the go-ahead run. That was still his best outing of the year; against the Royals on September 14, he pitched 13 shutout innings. California never scored, but the Angels lost in the 14th after relief pitchers took the field. In 34 starts, John had an 11–13 record, a 4.33 ERA (the highest it had ever been in his career), 65 strikeouts, and 49 walks in 234+2/3 innings. With 287, he led the AL in hits allowed, and 1983 will be the last time he will reach 200 innings in a season.

In 1984, John had a 2.48 ERA through June 2, but a 6.13 ERA thereafter. He threw a complete shutout in a 4–0 victory in his second game of a doubleheader against Boston on July 8. When Geoff Zahn was taken off the disabled list at the start of September, he was recalled for two weeks later this month after Bruce Kison was dismissed. He had a 7–13 record, a 4.52 ERA, 47 strikeouts, 56 walks, and 223 hits allowed in 181+12 innings pitched in 32 games (29 starts).

Bavasi replaced Bavasi as the Angel GM in 1985, and no coach worked with John at all during spring training before he asked Frank Reberger to assist him. In 12 games, John had a 4.70 ERA, six of which were startless, with six of which were started. For the most part of the month, the Angels retained only four starters, and John was the odd one out. The Angels considered tradering Dick Ruthven of the Cubs for Dick Ruthven of the Cubs but decided against it because Ruthven was owed $400,000 in a deferred salary. In June, John left the team to be with his mother, who was fighting cancer. On June 19, she died of the disease. The Angels released him on the same day as the Angels did. On July 12, the Oakland Athletics signed him nearly a month later; John made three rehab appearances in the minor leagues before debuting with Oakland on September 26th. In a 4–3 victory, he won the game, pitching six innings and allowing one run (unearned) against the Brewers. He threw seven shutout innings on August 27, allowing just three hits and winning the game in a 3–0 victory. Those were his only victories with Oakland; he missed his next five decisions and ended with a 2–6 record and a 6.19 ERA in 11 starts. His season was a 4–10 record, with 25 strikeouts, 28 walks, and 117 hits allowed in 86+13 innings pitched. He became a free agent after the season.

John went unsigned to begin 1986, and it seemed that his career was over. He did spring training with the Yankees, but the Yankees told him that if they needed pitchers later this year, they would use him if they didn't make the roster. In May, the Yankees recalled Ed Whitson and John Montefusco, causing the Yankees to re-sign their former pitcher. He made his first three decisions for the Yankees before losing a game on June 7. However, he was put on the 21-day disabled list with a strained left Achilles tendon; the injury kept him out of action until August 8. Mark McGwire of the Athletics had two hits off him on August 24, the rookie. McGwire's father used to be John's dentist, and John told reporters, "When your dentist's kid starts hitting you, it's time to retire." He went on to pitch three more seasons, but not so much. In the first game of a doubleheader against the Mariners on August 30, he lost but allowed only one run in eight innings in what would be his last game of the year. As trying to recover his fall, he collapsed on September 4 after warming up on muddy soil and injuring his left thumb. In 73 games, he had a 5–3 record, a 2.93 ERA, 28 strikeouts, 15 walks, and 73 hits allowed in 70+2nd3 innings pitched, his lowest record in 13 games (10 starts). He made three starts for the Class A Fort Lauderdale Yankees, winning two and not allowing an earned run in 13+2/3 innings.

John Barks had agreed to serve as the pitching coach for the University of North Carolina (UNC) later this year, ensuring he would eventually retire. However, he resigned from UNC duties on November 21 due to "irreconcilable differences" with head coach Mike Roberts. In his 1991 autobiography, John Stewart cited Roberts' reasons for resigning as he promised John two cars and six season tickets to UNC basketball games for being in work for UNC. Without John's permission, Roberts used John's name on baseball camps' promotional literature. After resigning from UNC, John signed a deal worth $350,000 if the team was kept out of spring training. In a 14–2 win over Cleveland on April 19, he threw seven shutout innings in consecutive starts, with just one hitting on the 26th. Pitching on three days rest on August 8, he threw a two-hit shutout against the Tigers, the last thing he'll throw in his career. He lost by just one run in a complete game, 3–1 win over Baltimore, on October 2. In 187+220 innings pitched, John had a 13–6 record, a 4.03 ERA, 53 strikeouts, 47 walks, and 212 hits allowed.

John became the oldest player in the major leagues in 1988 after Phil Niekro's retirement; he turned 45 on May 22. In 7+1 innings, he held the Royals to two hits and no runs, but Kansas City ultimately won 3–1. He didn't finish a game for the first time since 1963 (a year he barely played three innings) in a 6–2 win over the Angels on May 14, when he allowed two runs over 8+13 innings. On July 27, he set a record by making three mistakes on one play against the Brewers. Jeffrey Leonard made his first appearance when he struck a ground ball back to the mound. He threw it about ten feet wide of the first base as he picked it up. Jim Gantner tried to score, but John made a throw to home but the catcher threw it off the wall of the game's third mistake of the game. However, he would pitch eight innings as the Yankees advanced to victory 16–3. He had a 9-08 record, a 4.49 ERA, 81 strikeouts, 46 walks, and 221 hits allowed in 176+13 innings in 35 games (32 starts). According to Bill Madden of the New York Daily News, John, a ground-ball pitcher, suffered from late-season injuries to Yankee infielders Willie Randolph and Mike Pagliarulo, who are not as good fielders as well as Yankee infielders. He left a game after a lead and received a no-decision, often due to runners' left on base scoring as relievers replaced him. At 45, he was the only Yankee starter to miss time due to injury.

By 1989, John was running a "ten-part cardiovascular and muscular endurance program" which Jeff Mangold, the Yankees' former strength coach, had assisted him with. He was the Opening Day starter for the Yankees, his first Opening Day appearance for the club in eight years, allowing two runs in seven innings and thrashesing 1988 AL Cy Young Award winner Frank Viola as the Yankees defeated the Twins 4–2 on April 4. With the start of the season, John tied Deacon McGuire's record for most MLB seasons with 26 years, a record that would later be broken by Nolan Ryan. He limited the Royals to two runs over eight-plus innings on April 27, his 288th (and final) victory. He lost four games in May, but that didn't mean five or more runs in any of his outings. In an 8–6 Yankee victory, he allowed five runs in 5+1/3 innings against the Angels on May 25, allowing them to win by a no-decision. That game would be his last game for the Yankees after he was suspended at the end of the month. In 96 runs for New York, John had a 2–7 record, a 5.80 ERA, 18 strikeouts, 22 walks, and 87 hits allowed in 63+223 innings.

Career statistics

In 4,710-13 innings pitched, John finished his career with a 288-2931 record, a 3.34 ERA, 2,245 strikeouts, 1,259 walks, and 4,783 hits allowed. After playing for 26 years, he ranked among the top wins in baseball (19th), losses (19th), strikes allowed (10th), and wild pitches (187, 17th). He made 188 decisions in his career, an all-time MLB record among starting pitchers (dating back to at least 1908). Roger Clemens (whose career is marred by steroids) is the only one with more victories than John not to be inducted into the Hall of Fame since 1900, according to the only one with more wins than John.

Despite being in the 300-win club at the end of his career, John did not necessarily intend to pitch long enough to reach the record. In 1987, he said, "You'd like to hang around long enough to win 300," he said. "My kids are getting older, and it's getting harder for us to move as well as we used to." I've come to the conclusion that we'll go as a team wherever we go. The kids work with us for a lifetime.' After the Yankees released him in 1989, he planned to keep working out and throwing in case another ballclub wanted him; none did, though, and the season was his last.

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