Tommy John Surgery

[micropolitan guy]

Bob Smith had Tommy John surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm.

That's just about a perfect description right there. I'll use it myself the next tme it's applicable, thanks Pete!

What do people here use when someone has Lou Gehrig's disease? Just ALS, or do you spell it out and describe it, or say Lou Gehrig's disease, or what?

 

[Moderator1]

Lou Gehrig's Disease has a little more reach into the non-sports world but the same thing applies.

As for the above example, why do you need the Tommy John in there? What's wrong with "had surgery to repair ***"

 

[Calvin Hobbes]

Not to threadjack or anything, but let's decide once and for all ... sportswriter or sports writer?

I had been under the impression the former was correct. Others in my shop insist on the two-word version.

Clarification?

 

[imjustagirl]

I always do two words.

The one-word version gives me chills.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Lou Gehrig's Disease has a little more reach into the non-sports world but the same thing applies.

As for the above example, why do you need the Tommy John in there? What's wrong with "had surgery to repair ***"

Moddy,

I think we've reached the point where a good percentage of sports fans know the term "Tommy John Surgery" well enough that it tells them more than just "Surgery to repair..." I'm a fairly knowledgeable sports fan and I don't know which ligament is being replaced, but I do know it's a serious procedure that involves transplanting a ligament from a cadaver and usually requires a year to return, and probably two years to be back to normal.

In short, "Tommy John" tells me a hell of a lot more than "ulnar collateral ligament." I would probably use both.

 

[dooley_womack1]

I always do two words.

The one-word version gives me chills.

:D

 

[spnited]

Wow. Shows you what I know. All these years I thought it was his shoulder. Either way, I'd just say elbow surgery.

I seriously hope you are not a sportswriter.

No, I'm a sports writer. Two words, not one there Einstein. Not a doctor either. When Tommy John had his surgery, I was about 10 years old. I never really checked into his surgery much since I never had to write about it. I just seemed to think it had something to do with his rotator cuff, not his elbow. Shoot me. I guess that means after 25 years I've been in the wrong business since I'm not an expert on Tommy ****ing John's 1970s injury. On another note, how long have you been a bitter, know-it-all prick?

You've been in this business for 25 years and think Tommy John surgery has to do with the shoulder? Hope you've been enjoying those girls volleyball games.

And if you'd like, I'll give you the dictionary citings of "sportswriter."

And doc is wrong about the 93 years. I've only been a bitter old prick for the past 50 or so years.

 

[Pete Incaviglia]

Lou Gehrig's Disease has a little more reach into the non-sports world but the same thing applies.

As for the above example, why do you need the Tommy John in there? What's wrong with "had surgery to repair ***"

Moddy,

I think we've reached the point where a good percentage of sports fans know the term "Tommy John Surgery" well enough that it tells them more than just "Surgery to repair..." I'm a fairly knowledgeable sports fan and I don't know which ligament is being replaced, but I do know it's a serious procedure that involves transplanting a ligament from a cadaver and usually requires a year to return, and probably two years to be back to normal.

In short, "Tommy John" tells me a hell of a lot more than "ulnar collateral ligament." I would probably use both.

This is why I used both. Say just "Tommy John surgery" and the baseball fan knows what it is. Say "Tommy John surgery to replace the ulnar collateral ligament" and both the baseball fan and casual fan are covered. And, the baseball fan who wasn't really sure what Tommy John sruegery entailed now knows.

After starting and reading this thread, I going to keep using the "Tommy John surgery to replace the ulnar collateral ligament" sentence.

 

[fishwrapper]

I had Pete Incaviglia surgery a few years back.

 

[Pete Incaviglia]

I had Pete Incaviglia surgery a few years back.

What does that entail, exactly?

 

[buckweaver]

I had Pete Incaviglia surgery a few years back.

What does that entail, exactly?

Whatever it is, the chance of success is only about .240.

 

[fishwrapper]

Point being, you should describe the procedure. If the proper name is comprehendable, that would suffice. But, a layman's term or a colloquialism isn't sufficient.
It's a fine line. We're not medical journals, but we're not in Pete's Tavern, either.

 

[forever_town]

I think it depends on the audience. An audience of sports fanatics or regular readers of a sports page probably don't need an explanation of Tommy John surgery every single time it's mentioned.

If you're writing an A1 centerpiece on someone who's having it, an explanation is probably in order. Along with the formal name of the surgery, which is ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (or UCL) for anyone who doesn't know.

 

[DougDascenzo]

Tommy John surgery? You must be covering Little League.

 

[fishwrapper]

Really? There was a sports journalist on the first page of this thread, 20 years in the business, that thought it was a shoulder surgery. Five-word explanation, in addition to Tommy John: "ligament reconstruction of the elbow." What's the big deal?
I'm with Moddy on this one.

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

Really? There was a sports journalist on the first page of this thread, 20 years in the business, that thought it was a shoulder surgery. Five-word explanation, in addition to Tommy John: "ligament reconstruction of the elbow." What's the big deal?
I'm with Moddy on this one.

Agreed. I was surprised to see his last year was 1989, thought it was earlier. Still, that's a loooong time ago.

I got to interview him in the early 1980s -- one of the nicer pro athletes I met and writers also loved him because his games went quickly. And he transcended sports for a while when his kid fell out of a window and was in a coma for a time before recovering. But I don't think he's still a household name. Been too long.

 

[Pete Incaviglia]

Really? There was a sports journalist on the first page of this thread, 20 years in the business, that thought it was a shoulder surgery. Five-word explanation, in addition to Tommy John: "ligament reconstruction of the elbow." What's the big deal?
I'm with Moddy on this one.

Agreed. I was surprised to see his last year was 1989, thought it was earlier. Still, that's a loooong time ago.

I got to interview him in the early 1980s -- one of the nicer pro athletes I met and writers also loved him because his games went quickly. And he transcended sports for a while when his kid fell out of a window and was in a coma for a time before recovering. But I don't think he's still a household name. Been too long.

I second the quality of Tommy John the person. I covered a team on which he was the pitching coach. And I spoke with him for a story and then the occasional chit chat. Great, nice man. He had all kinds of stories.

 

[TwoGloves]

Wow. Shows you what I know. All these years I thought it was his shoulder. Either way, I'd just say elbow surgery.

I seriously hope you are not a sportswriter.

No, I'm a sports writer. Two words, not one there Einstein. Not a doctor either. When Tommy John had his surgery, I was about 10 years old. I never really checked into his surgery much since I never had to write about it. I just seemed to think it had something to do with his rotator cuff, not his elbow. Shoot me. I guess that means after 25 years I've been in the wrong business since I'm not an expert on Tommy ****ing John's 1970s injury. On another note, how long have you been a bitter, know-it-all prick?

You've been in this business for 25 years and think Tommy John surgery has to do with the shoulder? Hope you've been enjoying those girls volleyball games.

And if you'd like, I'll give you the dictionary citings of "sportswriter."

And doc is wrong about the 93 years. I've only been a bitter old prick for the past 50 or so years.

Don't cover girls volleyball Mr. Know-It-All. But now that you've put me in my place isn't there a Whitlock thread for you to **** all over you bitter old ****er? Oh yeah, if you writer features, are you a featurewriter or feature writer? Hockeywriter or hockey writer? Baseballwriter or baseball writer? Sports writer.

 

[spnited]

It is sportswriter:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sportswriter

Now why don't you go find someone who had Tommy John surgery on their shoulder.

 

[TwoGloves]

Now why don't you go find someone who had Tommy John surgery on their shoulder.

Just as soon as you go **** yourself.