Did you really tell Dr. Jobe to “make up something” before the surgery?
He told me if I didn’t have it done I wasn’t going to be able to pitch again. There was no downside or risk for me because of that. You’ve got to remember that back in 1974, there was no MRI or anything like that. He didn’t know how bad it was until he got in there. Q: Was there a point after the surgery when you knew you’d make it back? A: We were playing in Pittsburgh in ’75 just before the All-Star break, and I was throwing in the bullpen and our catcher said, “That ball had some pop on it.” That’s when I kind of knew things were going to work out. Q: Did you have a rehabilitation plan? A: They have guys today on pitch counts and everything. I would just go out and throw until my arm got tired, and I’d throw as hard as I could that day. Some days I’d throw 20 pitches, some days 60. But it was up to me how much I threw. Q: Every year more and more pitchers are having the surgery. That’s bad, right? A: Dr. [James] Andrews and myself sit on the board for health and safety for USA Baseb
