Great pitcher who had a great career with both the Dodgers and Yankees, along with a few other teams
RIP Tommy John
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I have a number of memories about Tommy John.
The first was from the 1977 World Series. A 20 game winner that year, he pitched the pivotal game three with the series tied 1-1. It was his first world series game. He gave up 3 runs in the top of the first but the Dodgers tied it up but ended up losing 5-3.
In 78, he won game one and with the Dodgers up 2 games to 1, was pitching quite well in game 4 before it all unraveled with the Reggie Jackson hip thrust.
I remember TJ being a 20 game winner his first two years with the Yankees, making him a 20 game winner 3 times over 4 years.
The most bitter memory is of the 1981 World Series. With the Dodgers leading the Series 3 games to 2, TJ got the start and pitched 4 innings allowing 1 run before dumbassed old Bob Lemon pinch hit for him in the bottom of the 4th, with runners on first and second two outs in a 1-1 game. Bobby Murcer flew out to right and the Dodgers scored 3 runs in the top of the 5th. Series over. I don't remember what Lemon's explanation was but it's couldn't have justified such a dumb ass move. I remember TJ was visibly incredulous in the dugout.
Tommy John has the second most wins (288) of any pitcher not in the hall of fame. He has a 6-3 postseason record with a 2.63 ERA. And speaking of HOF, I'm sure they will put him in now that he's gone but why wasn't he there already? When you have his numbers and the fact a career saving surgery is named after him (making him famous) which has saved hundreds of pitchers and ballplayers their career, how can you not be considered FAMOUS?????? Sometimes MLB writers are so fucking stupid, it amazing they can even spell.
The first was from the 1977 World Series. A 20 game winner that year, he pitched the pivotal game three with the series tied 1-1. It was his first world series game. He gave up 3 runs in the top of the first but the Dodgers tied it up but ended up losing 5-3.
In 78, he won game one and with the Dodgers up 2 games to 1, was pitching quite well in game 4 before it all unraveled with the Reggie Jackson hip thrust.
I remember TJ being a 20 game winner his first two years with the Yankees, making him a 20 game winner 3 times over 4 years.
The most bitter memory is of the 1981 World Series. With the Dodgers leading the Series 3 games to 2, TJ got the start and pitched 4 innings allowing 1 run before dumbassed old Bob Lemon pinch hit for him in the bottom of the 4th, with runners on first and second two outs in a 1-1 game. Bobby Murcer flew out to right and the Dodgers scored 3 runs in the top of the 5th. Series over. I don't remember what Lemon's explanation was but it's couldn't have justified such a dumb ass move. I remember TJ was visibly incredulous in the dugout.
Tommy John has the second most wins (288) of any pitcher not in the hall of fame. He has a 6-3 postseason record with a 2.63 ERA. And speaking of HOF, I'm sure they will put him in now that he's gone but why wasn't he there already? When you have his numbers and the fact a career saving surgery is named after him (making him famous) which has saved hundreds of pitchers and ballplayers their career, how can you not be considered FAMOUS?????? Sometimes MLB writers are so fucking stupid, it amazing they can even spell.
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The guy with the most modern day wins, not in the HOF is Roger Clemens (354) and we know why he's not in. Ironically, TJ had a bionic arm thanks to surgery, Clemens had a bionic arm thanks to a syringe!!! There is another guy with 298 wins not in the hall of fame, Bobby Matthews, but he played ball from 1871 to 1887, dying in 1898. 43 other guys with less wins than Tommy John are in the hall of fame and one of them is that buffoon Bob Lemon (207 wins), who sent up a pinch hitter for TJ in the 81 World Series.
Tommy John was awesome. I remember being so pissed off when the Dodgers didn't resign him after 1978. WTF O'Malley.
Great owner but he did some dumb shit sometimes.
He was good to his fans though keeping ticket prices reasonable.
However, back to TJ, I still remember 1974 when TJ was 13-3 and throwing a shutout when he hurt his arm. That caused the Dodgers to not win the world series that year. I was so upset when he hurt his arm.
The Dodgers were/are an extremely successful team. (In my lifetime) From the 60's to the 70's to 80's and so forth.......I know I"m not telling you anything new. As a Yankee fan, I can appreciate just how successful they are. You talk about 74. I had begun liking the A's (in the postseason) as a ballplayer in high school in 72 and 73. I was rooting for them in the first two because I liked their moxy. The white shoes (I can remember my pops so offended..."hot dogs!!!"). The facial hair ("Oh now they're letting hippies play????"). I just liked the way they tried to change things up.
Then I got fed up with them winning so often that I was rooting for L.A. in that series. It was also because growing up from age 8 to senior in high school, the Yankees had a rough patch. The two good seasons were 1970 and 1974. So I was pissed they fell short (2 games) in 74 and the A's pissed me off so I was rooting for the Dodgers. I certainly wasn't in 77, 78 or 81.
Hey 73 was tough for you guys. 95 wins but 2nd to the Big Red Machine....who got beat up by the 82 win Mets. That'll piss a fan off.Anyhow love talking baseball even with Dodger fans!
All kidding aside, I like smart fans.
You're a cool Yankee fan and that's hard to come by lolThe Dodgers were/are an extremely successful team. (In my lifetime) From the 60's to the 70's to 80's and so forth.......I know I"m not telling you anything new. As a Yankee fan, I can appreciate just how successful they are. You talk about 74. I had begun liking the A's (in the postseason) as a ballplayer in high school in 72 and 73. I was rooting for them in the first two because I liked their moxy. The white shoes (I can remember my pops so offended..."hot dogs!!!"). The facial hair ("Oh now they're letting hippies play????"). I just liked the way they tried to change things up.
Then I got fed up with them winning so often that I was rooting for L.A. in that series. It was also because growing up from age 8 to senior in high school, the Yankees had a rough patch. The two good seasons were 1970 and 1974. So I was pissed they fell short (2 games) in 74 and the A's pissed me off so I was rooting for the Dodgers. I certainly wasn't in 77, 78 or 81.
Anyhow love talking baseball even with Dodger fans!