The Philadelphia Phillies will retire the late Roy Halladay’s No. 34 Sunday, a recognition of his legacy that was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Philadelphia had planned to retire Halladay’s number on May 29, 2020, the 10th anniversary of his perfect game, before the novel coronavirus put the season on hold.
Halladay died in a plane crash in November 2017 at age 40 and was enshrined posthumously into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.
“Roy Halladay made an indelible mark on Phillies history with so many spectacular moments, including his perfect game and post-season no-hitter,” Phillies executive vice president David Buck said in a statement following the initial retirement announcement. “His impact on the game was evident by his induction into the Hall of Fame. We are honoured to have Roy join an elite group of players to have their numbers retired by the Phillies.”
Halladay’s number will join other Phillies greats honoured at Citizens Bank Park including Richie Ashburn (1), Jim Bunning (14), Dick Allen (15), Mike Schmidt (20), Steve Carlton (32), Robin Roberts (36) as well as Jackie Robinson’s No. 42. Halladay’s No. 34 will also be enshrined as a statue in the club’s Third Base Plaza.
The Toronto Blue Jays retired Halladay’s No. 32 in 2018.
Halladay threw the 20th perfect game in MLB history on May 29, 2010, beating the Florida Marlins 1-0. In October of the same year, he also threw a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds in the NLDS. Halladay also won the NL Cy Young Award that season.