Blue Jays: Roy Halladay takes retirement to new heights

Former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay is arguably one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history best remembered for being an absolute workhorse on the mound who could put his a team his back and lead them to victory.

Roy Halladay was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 1st round, 17th overall of the 1995 amateur draft from Arvada West High School in Colorado. The hurler would spend 12 seasons north of the border before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009.

Halladay would spend four seasons in the City of Brotherly before hanging up the spikes in 2013 with 203 career wins and a tidy 3.38 earned run average under his belt. The big-hander would walk away from baseball at age 36 and a wins above replacement of 65.6 in 416 games on the bump.

The consummate professional has taken his retirement to lofty new heights since leaving the game. Halladay grew up around planes as his father was a corporate pilot and the hurler always had aspirations of obtaining his pilot’s licence once baseball was no longer in the forefront.

“I’ve been dreaming about flying since I was boy but was only able to become a pilot once I retired from baseball,” said Halladay.

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Not only did Halladay become a licenced pilot but he also purchased a first-year production plane in the ICON My18- A5. The aircraft is spin resistant and features 3D mobility and looks like an overall great ride as you can see from the above video with Halladay and his wife.

Aside from flying, Halladay has also become involved in a coaching capacity with the Florida Burn youth baseball team which may bode well for a future return to the major league level in some capacity as a pitching or bullpen coach.

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Regardless of what he is doing, you know Halladay will excel at it all the while bringing his bulldog mentality with it. Hopefully, the Blue Jays can convince the former Cy Young winner to return back to where it all began in Toronto so he can take some of the Jays pitchers to new heights on the mound.