TAS Quote of The Day - June 9, 2021 (Tommy John)

Always give a hundred percent, and you'll never have to second-guess yourself.
~Tommy John

Tommy John (1943-) was one of my favorite Major League pitchers growing up. He knows a little about giving 100 percent.

He is the second-longest tenured Major League player of the modern era, behind only Nolan Ryan. He’s also the seventh winningest left-handed pitcher in MLB history with 288 victories.

However, his tenacity and determination are practically legendary. In 1974, he tore a tendon in his pitching shoulder, an injury that until that time spelled the end of a pitcher’s career.

John was unwilling to give up. He enlisted the help of Dr. Frank Jobe who devised an experimental procedure that would come to be known as Tommy John Surgery. Jobe took a tendon from the other arm and used it to repair the shoulder.

Jobe warned the pitcher his chances were probably one in a hundred of succeeding. John took the risk ad those odds seemed better than certain retirement and debilitation.

The surgery was a complete success. John had the five best years of his career immediately following the surgery and successfully pitched for 15 more years.

He was a key component of three Dodger and Yankee rotations that made World Series runs during that time.

After the 1988 season, the Yankees cut Tommy John. He was 45 years old and they said too old to pitch in the Majors. John contacted the organization and asked if he would be given a fair look if he came to Spring Training the following year as an unsigned walk-on. After sone back and forth, the Yankees finally agreed.

Not only as did he make the team, he was the opening day pitcher giving up just two runs in seven innings.

maybe our 100 percent today isn’t as dramatic as Tommy John’s, but we can commit to giving it all the same. It’s the best way to live with no regrets.

wherever you are in your journey today, you are awesome!

Ray