Roy Halladay, the ace pitcher who authored a Phillies perfect game and postseason no-hitter and could manipulate a baseball unlike few in his generation, died Tuesday when his small plane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico.
The Pasco County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office confirmed Halladay’s death in a news conference. Authorities said Halladay’s plane, an ICON A5 light sport aircraft, crashed 10 miles west of St. Petersburg, Fla., around 1 p.m. Halladay, 40, was the only one aboard.
“We are numb over the very tragic news about Roy Halladay’s untimely death,” the Phillies said in a statement. “There are no words to describe the sadness that the entire Phillies family is feeling over the loss of one of the most respected human beings to ever play the game.