Tigers Past And Present React To Shocking Death Of Roy Halladay
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
The baseball world was rocked on Tuesday by the sudden death of Roy Halladay.
The two-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star was killed in a plane crash off the coast of Florida. He was 40 years old.
Several MLB players, past and present, took to Twitter to mourn the news.
Said Justin Verlander, who's currently on his honeymoon with Kate Upton, "Shocked and saddened...gone way too soon. One of the best ever. #RIPDoc"
Halladay got the nickname 'Doc' from the Wild West character Doc Holliday. Halladay, of course, was anything but wild. He led the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio five times, including four straight seasons from 2008 to 2011.
Said Daniel Norris, "Some of you have no idea what Roy Halladay meant to the careers of so many of the up and coming stars. Phone calls. Group talks etc. RIP Doc."
Over a 16-year career, Halladay became known for his competitiveness and drive. A young Max Scherzer got a taste of this in spring training with the Tigers.
In a note posted on Twitter, Scherzer said, "I never knew Roy personally but his work ethic impacted me from the one time we squared off in a (spring training) game in Lakeland. We each threw a few innings and I had gone into the clubhouse, ate lunch, and showered up. I was walking out to my car and saw Roy drenched in sweat running (foul) poles on the back fields. I've never forgotten that day as it was clear he never needed the cameras or coaches around to push himself and no matter what he was going to get his work done. That's the Roy Halladay I will always remember..."
Scherzer added, "My deepest condolences to the Halladay family during this difficult time. The world lost a great one too early today. #RIP34"
More than anything else, though, Halladay was defined by his character. He earned respect because he gave it.
The future Hall of Famer will be missed.
