Frank Jobe was inspired to develop Tommy John surgery after treating Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John, who suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his elbow in 1974[1][4]. At the time, such an injury was considered career-ending for pitchers[4].

Jobe devised a revolutionary procedure where he transplanted a tendon from John's right wrist to his left elbow to replace the damaged UCL[1][2]. Though unsure if it would be successful, Jobe performed the first "Tommy John surgery" on September 25, 1974[2].

After a year of recovery, John went on to pitch for 14 more seasons, winning 164 games after the surgery[2][4]. The success of this pioneering procedure inspired Jobe to continue refining Tommy John surgery and expand its use to other athletes[1][2][5].

Jobe's groundbreaking work revolutionized sports medicine and saved countless careers, with an estimated one-third of MLB pitchers having undergone the surgery by 2014[2][3]. His innovations and commitment to helping athletes recover from devastating injuries earned him the title "father of Tommy John surgery" and induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013[1][4].

Sources [1] Frank Jobe, Keck School physician, inventor of Tommy John surgery ... https://hscnews.usc.edu/frank-jobe-keck-school-physician-inventor-of-tommy-john-surgery-88 [2] Frank Jobe - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Jobe [3] How Tommy John Surgery Has Evolved Since Frank Jobe https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/08/sports/baseball/how-tommy-john-surgery-has-evolved-since-frank-jobe.html [4] Frank Jobe, Surgeon Who Saved Pitchers' Careers, Dies at 88 https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/07/sports/baseball/dr-frank-jobe-who-pioneered-tommy-john-surgery-dies-at-88.html [5] Game Changers: Dr. Frank Jobe & Tommy John - ATLX https://atlxtv.com/2021/07/02/game-changers-dr-frank-jobe-and-tommy-john/