The Sports Community Lost A Legend In Roy Doc Hallady At The Age Of 40
Roy Halladay was one of the greatest to ever toe the rubber and will be extremely missed after his plane crashed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida earlier today at the age of 40.
Doc as many called him was a two-time Cy Young award winner (American and National Leagues) throughout his 16 year MLB career with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies. Halladay’s .659 winning percentage ranks him seventh all time in the history of the bigs. With the Phillies Doc threw the 20th perfect game in MLB history and in his first ever post-season game he threw a 104 pitch no hitter (only second in playoff history).
Halladay was not just an amazing baseball player but also a hall of fame father and genially great guy. He was known to be the hardest working player on the team and helping out all the young guys in learning how to be a true professional. Jake Diekman of the Texas Rangers stated, “Doc is the definition of hard work. No one out worked him. No one prepared more. As a young player you just watched him and wanted to strive to be him but you could not.” That is how special Doc was and he will be truly missed.
This is not the first time the baseball community has had to mourn the loss of a great due to a plane crash. On New Years Eve in 1972 the hall of famer Roberto Clemente’s plane carrying food and water for the earthquake ravaged Nicaragua crashed in the Atlantic Ocean. Then in 1979 Thurman Munson of the Yankees died practicing how to land his own aircraft. These were just two more out of a total of 8 former MLB players who have passed away in flying accidents.
Doc Halladay is survived by his wife, Brandy, and his sons, Braden and Ryan.
