Tommy John has endured the dreaded wait many times since debuting on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in 1995.
The former Dodgers southpaw — the first player to undergo what’s now known as Tommy John surgery — remained eligible until 2009 but never received more than 31.7% of the 75% required for election. John then shuffled through the expansion era and modern baseball ballots twice apiece, getting spurned by the voting committees.
On Sunday at 4:30 p.m., John will learn the latest result after another vote.
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“If I had a say, I would vote me in,” John said Friday in a phone interview from his Florida home. “But I don’t.”
John, along with Steve Garvey — a former Dodgers first baseman and the 1974 National League most valuable player — are two of the eight candidates on the Classic Baseball Era ballot, which helps get overlooked players of past generations elected. John and Garvey donned Dodger blue together from 1972 to 1978.
The Historical Overview Committee, appointed by the Baseball Writers of America Assn., compiles the Classic Baseball Era ballot from players whose biggest achievements happened before 1980. Eligible players must have played 10 or more seasons.
Dr. Frank Jobe first performed the left-hander’s elbow surgery on John in 1974, birthing the ligament-replacement procedure commonplace today. The Hall of Fame honored Jobe and John together during its 2013 induction ceremony.
“I had the right doctor at the right time and I was in the right place,” John said. “I pitched and never missed a start after I came back.”
While the now 81-year-old may be best known for the surgery, John spent 26 seasons in the majors, which tied a record until Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan reached his 27th season. John, a four-time All-Star, tallied a 288-231 record with a 3.34 earned-run average, 2,245 strikeouts and 61.6 wins above replacement (WAR), according to Baseball Reference, with some of his best seasons coming at Chavez Ravine.
“Twenty-six years, 288 wins…