Crazy how well cards can age! Roy looked good at this point in his career, but he eventually became an All-Time great! I actually put this card into a more protective sleeve as soon as I saw this!
Roy Halladay is simply one of the greatest pitchers that I've ever watched. He's an all-time great. He was consistently great year in and year out for the Blue Jays and Phillies. I always remember looking at the bottom line on Sportscenter and seeing Halladay leading the league in everything and having an absurd win-loss record.
Halladay was a Toronto Blue Jay the majority of his career, from 1998-2009. He won his first Cy Young at 26 years old in 2003 with the Blue Jays thanks to his 22-7 record. Halladay was also a six-time All-Star while with the team and departed Toronto after 2009 with an incredible 148-76 record and a 3.43 ERA. He's in the Toronto Blue Jays Level of Excellence and his #32 is retired.
Halladay then spent his final four seasons with the Phillies and he spent far less time in the City of Brotherly Love than in Toronto, but his time in Philly packed a serious punch.
Halladay coming to Philly was a big deal, and he extended the Phillies' prime of being championship contenders. At the time, the Phillies had won a World Series in 2008 and then reached the World Series in 2009 and so adding Halladay was just a mega signing.
Halladay immediately showed Philadelphia he came to win. Halladay had a dominate season in 2010 with the Phillies posting a 21-10 record with a 2.44 ERA. Halladay was rewarded by winning his second Cy Young Award.
2010 was next level also because Roy threw a PERFECT game in May and then threw another no-hitter in the NLDS in October!
Just an All-Time Great doing All-Time Great things.
Halladay won 19 more games for the Phillies in 2011 placed second in Cy Young voting and earned his eighth and final All-Star appearance.
Halladay didn't get to a World Series but he performed great in the playoffs with the Phillies. He never reached the post-season with the Blue Jays, and Roy took advantage the very first chance he got. He definitely made his mark in the playoffs. Halladay retired in 2013.
The Phillies also retired Halladay's #34.
Roy sadly died unexpectedly in 2017 from crashing flying a recreational plane. Incredibly tragic.
Roy was a first ballot Hall of Famer in 2019!
