Update 3-13-2025
More on Tommy John, Hank Wyse, and a mystery photo hint.
From Backroads and Ballplayers P.294…
On November 2nd, 2016, 83-year-old Cubs fan Jim Mowery climbed to his upper deck seat in Cleveland’s Progressive Field for the seventh game of the World Series. His trip was sponsored by a GoFundMe account created by his son to ensure Mr. Mowery could witness history from his unique perspective.
Mowery’s beloved Cubs had not played in the World Series since 1945, almost 26,000 days had passed since the Cubbies played in the Fall Classic. Mr Mowery was likely the only witness to the Cubs’ World Series victory who had been present that day 71 years earlier when the last pitch by a Cub in the losing effort was thrown by none other than Lunsford, Arkansas’ Hank Wyse.
In case you missed Backroads and Ballplayers #96
Mystery Photo Hint
This famous Arkansan broke into professional baseball at age 18. He remains the youngest guy to debut in pro baseball at his position. That should give it away!
So, Gerrit Cole is going to have Tommy John Surgery. If all goes well he will be 35 when he pitches again. Cole is fifth among active pitchers in career WAR. The other four are probably Future Hall of Famers. (Verlander, Kershaw, Scherzer, Sale?) I think all except Kershaw have had Tommy John Surgery.
It is becoming more common and almost a foregone conclusion among power pitchers. How many current Hall of Fame pitchers have had Tommy John Surgery? Without the help of our friends at Google.
More than 10? Five - Ten? Less than five. The answer is at the end of this post.
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Of course, only one pitcher currently in the Baseball Hall of Fame who has had Tommy John Surgery is John Smoltz
