Tommy John surgery has been around for 45 years, and is most notably attached to the game of baseball.

"You need Tommy John surgery" is a phrase all pitchers are afraid to hear.

This week, it was officially added to the dictionary, according to Keegan Matheson.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John underwent the procedure in 1974, as performed by surgeon Dr. Frank Jobe. John was the first patient on record to ever undergo the surgery, giving birth to the name.

Since John's famous surgery, thousands of amateur and professional athletes have gotten Tommy John surgery.

Complete recovery from the procedure takes pitchers between 18 to 24 months on average.

When performing Tommy John surgery, the doctor will replace the injured UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) with a tendon taken from somewhere else in the patient's body.

Tommy John doesn't have a plaque at Cooperstown, but he does have a spot in Merriam-Webster.

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