PHILLIES PHODDER-REMEMBERING ROY HALLIDAY

Phillies great pitcher was killed yesterday in a tragic plane crash in Florida. He was 40 years old. You can look up his great statistics. I want o share some of my personal memories of Doc:

*Everyone remembers the perfect game vs the Marlins in Florida. It was a Saturday night and the Flyers were on, a playoff game, which I started watching. When I switched to the Phils and knew Halliday was pitching a perfect game in the 4th inning, is tuck with it. The excitement grew with each inning.

After the perfect game, Halliday gave out 60 Swiss watches to players, coaches and attendants in the clubhouse. Each watch was engraved with the date of the perfect game, the line score and the recipient's name. Also engraved was this inscription: "We did it together. Thanks, Roy Halliday."

The Phillies obtained the pitching rubber from the marlins from the perfect game and presented it to Doc at the next home game.

* The no-hitter vs the Reds in the first game of the first series will always be remembered fondly. It was almost another perfect game- two in a season- only Jay Bruce walked in the 5th inning. I recall it Ball 4 was just off the inside corner of the plate.  Catcher Carlos Ruiz made a tremendous play on a swinging bunt type of grounder to get the last out, falling to his knees and throwing a strike to Ryan Howard at first base to clinch history, only the second no-hitter in baseball post-season history.

* The game I'll always remember Doc for- the one game I was there- was a spring game against Cincinnati when he faced the Reds' Mike Leake. Leake had a perfect game thru nine innings, while Halliday was throwing a shut-out as well. How often do you see a 0-0 game after 9 innings? The Phils eventually won the game. 1-0 in 10 innings. I''ll always remember Hallidays' grit and determination that night, going toe-to-toe with a guy who was tossing a perfect game, and not flinching.

* That's what I liked about Doc. He always gave you a chance to win. He was intense. You had to watch his games because you never knew if he would throw a no-hitter or strike-out 13 batters, or do something extraordinary.He was intense, with   a tremendous work ethic. He retired because his shoulder gave out - only so many bullets in the gun, so to speak- but Doc also wanted to spend more time with his family. He wanted to teach and spent a few spring training with the Phils, teaching the mental part of pitching.He even was taking Psychology classes, planning to get into the mental aspects of being an athlete down the road when his kids grew up.

* It's sad that Doc retired to spend more time with his family, yet only had four years to do the things he had missed for so long, things like coaching his sons' little League team. People are wondering, why take a chance and fly a small aircraft? Why risk your life, leaving a wife and two small children behind?

But Doc died doing what he loved to do- flying. You can't blame a guy for that.

It's sad to think of a big, healthy guy- he towered at 6'6- losing his life at such a young age, with so much of life ahead. But that's life. You never know what each day holds, a reason to appreciate his day and love your family and friends every day.

* Just some of Doc's baseball achievements:

- 8x all-star
- Over 2,000 strike-outs
- Only one of six pitchers to win Cy Young Awards in both the National and American Leagues.
- Pitched the 20th perfect game in MLB history.
- 20 career shut-out and 67 complete games. He may have been the last pitch we ever see who completed games the way he did.
- Overall record- 203-105. Career ERA 3.38

Fans forget his precise control, stingy with walks. He never gave into a hitter, yet rarely walked a hitter. His 21 wins for the Phils in 2010 were the most for a Phllies right-hander since Robin Roberts in 1955. He spent 16 seasons in the big leagues, 12 with Toronto and 4 with Philadelphia.

*I'm sure the only regret to Doc's great career was never pitching in a World Series. In 2011, the famous Four Aces Phillies staff of Halliday, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswald were one of the best rotations in baseball history. Halliday insisted they be known as the Five Aces- Joe Blanton included.



Doc pitched Game 5 of the National League Division Series in 2011. St. Louis was hot coming into the playoffs but were underdogs to the Phillies team that had won a franchise record 102 games that summer. Halladay pitching the deciding game at Citizens Bank Park

The Cardinals went with Chris Carpenter, also a tough pitcher. Doc gave up a lead-off triple to Raheal Furcal, then a since to Skip Schumacker- and that was it. Nine innings-one lone run. sadly, after a powerful line-up with Howard, Utley, Ibanez, Rollins and Werth, the Phillies failed to muster a single run that night. To make matters worse, the final out in a 1-0 defeat was made by Hoard, who blew out his Achilles on the play, and never was the same. Neither were the Phillies.

Imagine Roy Halladay in the World Series? Baseball fans knew what a special pitcher he was. The world would've gotten a chance to see his greatness on the biggest stage of all.

I never had the privilege of meeting Doc in person. I knew he did a lot of charity work and really cared about kids. He was a brilliant pitcher but an even better guy.

Doc will be eligible for the Hall of Fame next year. i thought he would make it even before his untimely death. He will go up on the Phillies Wall of Fame. And he will never be forgotten by Phillies fans.

Doc was like a brilliant shooting star, streaking across the night sky, lasting only a moment, fading into the horizon, but never to be forgotten.

Rest in Peace, Doc.