Blue Jays to retire Roy Halladay's jersey on opening day
Former Toronto ace died in plane crash last fall
The Toronto Blue Jays will retire former pitcher Roy (Doc) Halladay's No. 32 on opening day Thursday prior to hosting the New York Yankees at approximately 3:37 p.m. ET.
Halladay, 40, died Nov. 7, 2017 when the plane he was flying crashed into the Gulf of Mexico.
Halladay will join Roberto Alomar (No. 12) as the only players in club history to have their jerseys retired.
"Through Roy's values, pride, work ethic, and perseverance, he epitomized what it means to be a Blue Jay," club president/CEO Mark Shapiro said in a statement. "And while his legacy is clear, it goes far beyond the number on his back or his on-field accomplishments, serving as a shining example of how to live a meaningful life and positively impact others."
Join us Opening Day, as we pay tribute to the late Roy Halladay and retire his uniform number.<br><br>In Doc's honour, we will wear a commemorative No. 32 patch on our jerseys for the 2018 season. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DocForever?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DocForever</a> <a href="https://t.co/yHD3HpY3dB">pic.twitter.com/yHD3HpY3dB</a>
—@BlueJaysThe Blue Jays will also celebrate Halladay's life and career prior to the game and a No. 32 patch will adorn the club's uniforms throughout the 2018 season, including spring training.
Halladay spent 12 seasons with Toronto, amassing a 148-75 record in 313 games. He captured the '03 Cy Young Award after winning a club-record 22 games and made six all-star appearances as a Blue Jay.