July 21, 2019
On Sunday, former Phillies and Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay, who died tragically in a plane crash back in November of 2017, was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
It was an emotional event to say the least, with Halladay's widow Brandy giving the speech on her late husband's behalf. Before even starting, she was welcomed by a standing ovation from the gathered crowd.
All the feels.
— MLB (@MLB) July 21, 2019
Brandy Halladay gets a standing ovation before her speech at the @baseballhall. pic.twitter.com/qBFIwkBfbW
Halladay will go into the Hall of Fame without a specific logo on his plaque, since he had so much success with both Toronto and Philadelphia. Brandy said that's exactly the way he would've wanted it.
"To both organizations, I can't thank you enough."
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 21, 2019
Brandy Halladay thanks the @Phillies and @BlueJays. #HOFWKND pic.twitter.com/hpRrpBmOtl
But the most powerful moment of Brandy's speech came toward the end, when she delivered an important message that should resonate with everyone: people aren't perfect. Not even people who throw perfect games.
An amazing speech by Brandy Halladay. ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/4qGesY5PvE
— MLB (@MLB) July 21, 2019
As was recently reported by Sports Illustrated, Roy Halladay struggled with drug addiction, specifically to anti-depression pills and amphetamines, in the years since his retirement from baseball, and even went to rehab before relapsing. Although she didn't say it outright, Brandy's comments about her husband provided a positive message to those dealing with addiction and mental health issues.
Here is Brandy's full speech in its entirety:
Beautifully done, Brandy. #DocHOF pic.twitter.com/AEJhufT2GA
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 21, 2019
We'll have more on Halladay's enshrinement from fellow Hall of Famers Paul Hagen later today.
Follow Matt on Twitter: @matt_mullin
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
