It was an emotional day in Cooperstown, N.Y., on Sunday as former Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
His widow, Brandy, spoke on behalf of her late husband in a speech. Many others shared personal accounts of "Doc" and the impact he had on the game.
"He was a true competitor, went to the field every day to do whatever it took to give his team the best chance he could to win," Brandy said "I think Roy would rather be remembered by who he was; not what he did on the ball field.
MORE: How Halladay inspired a generation of Blue Jays fans
"Roy was blessed in his life and career to have some perfect moments but I believe they were only possible because of the man he strived to be, the teammate that he was and the people he was so blessed to be on the field with."
Welcome to baseball immortality, Roy Halladay. @BlueJays @Phillies #DocHOF #HOFWKND pic.twitter.com/hMTkS08ash
— Baseball Hall ⚾ (@baseballhall) July 21, 2019
Halladay died in a plane crash in 2017 at the age of 40.
He started his career in 1998 with Toronto and played there for 12 seasons before a December 2009 trade sent him to Philadelphia. Halladay spent four seasons in a Phillies uniform before retiring in 2013. He was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame just months before he died.
Over his 16 seasons in the majors, the eight-time All-Star went 203-105 with a 3.38 ERA and 2,117 strikeouts. Halladay also pitched the 20th perfect game in major-league history on May 29, 2010 against the Marlins.
"Doc wanted the biggest stage all the time and wasn't afraid for it," said former teammate and friend of Halladay, Chris Carpenter, in an interview with MLB Network. "It's about celebrating one of the greatest pitchers that's ever played in this game. [He was a] great teammate, friend, dad, husband, son; he put all those things together. he turned not just into a Hall of Fame pitcher but a Hall of Fame man."
“Doc wanted the biggest stage all the time, and wasn’t afraid of it.”
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 21, 2019
Chris Carpenter remembers his friend and Hall of Fame Inductee Roy Halladay. #HOFWKND | @baseballhall pic.twitter.com/uSLYgxfSqY
Halladay was inducted with no logo on his hat (a decision made by his family due to the impact both the Blue Jays and Phillies had on his career), leaving Roberto Alomar as the only player inducted as a Blue Jay.