The Pasco County, Florida, Sheriff's Office said Tuesday afternoon that Halladay's plane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico about 10 miles west of St. Petersburg, Florida, around 1 p.m. local time. Halladay is said to have loved flying planes and bragged last March about logging 800 hours in the air as a pilot.
"I'm trying to progress through [the various certification levels]," the former pitcher said at the time, adding "I'd like to be able to instruct so I can teach my boys. I'd like to try to finish [the commercial rating level] up."
I have dreamed about owning a A5 since I retired! Real life is better then my dreams!! Thx Kirk & everyone @ICONAircraft pic.twitter.com/wkk6TtjAY4
— Roy Halladay (@RoyHalladay) October 13, 2017
A little flying with pilot Roy ✈️ @RoyHalladay pic.twitter.com/tOLxWyGldI
— Hud (@nolanhudi) November 5, 2017
Halladay's Twitter bio location reads "in the air or on the water!" and his profile picture shows him apparently piloting a small aircraft.
— Roy Halladay (@RoyHalladay) October 31, 2017
Halladay logged 203 wins and 105 losses over his MLB career. He threw 15 complete games during his career.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 7, 2017
@MLBPastPresent called Halladay "arguably one of the best starting pitchers in the steroid era."
We are saddened by the tragic news that Roy Halladay, 2-time Cy Young Award winner & 8-time All-Star, has died in a plane crash. He was 40. pic.twitter.com/SOFv3bOLyt
— MLB (@MLB) November 7, 2017
— Joe Posnanski (@JPosnanski) November 7, 2017
Halladay leads all of the MLB in complete games since 2009. 'Doc' was a native of Colorado who split his career between 1998 and 2013 serving up heat and making hitters miss for the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies. He was born May 14, 1977.
