'Imperfect: The Roy Halladay Story': Release date, details for E60 documentary
by Sam JardenHall of Fame pitcher Roy Halladay had a complicated legacy. An upcomingE60 documentary that is set to be released later this month will delve into his baseball career and life away from the diamond.
The former Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies star was one of the best pitchers throughout his 16-year MLB career. However, after his retirement in 2013,he also struggled with an addictionto prescription drugs. Halladaydied in a plane crash in 2017, with an autopsy revealing he had several substancesin his system at the time.
'Imperfect: The Roy Halladay Story' release date, TV info
- Date: Friday, May 29
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- How to watch: ESPN (U.S.), TSN (Canada)
The documentarywill air at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, May 29. Viewers in the United States can watch on ESPN, while TSN will be airing the broadcastin Canada.
What will 'Imperfect: The Roy Halladay Story' cover?
An official trailer for the documentary released on Thursday previews the tragic story of Halladay's struggle with the pressures of fame.
The clip begins with highlights of his perfect game against the Marlins in 2010, the second in Phillies franchise history, before showing clips from interviews with Alex Rodriguez andRobinson Cano explaining their admiration for him as a pitcher. Throughout it all, the ideaof having to be "perfect" is a central theme.
"[He was] a man who was expected to be perfect or seen as perfect," his widow, Brandy, notes in the trailer. "I saw how hard that was on him."
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She went on to describethe depths of Halladay's addiction problems.
"He was tormented," she says. "His body was dependent on these medications just to function. ADD, depression, anxiety, paranoia...Roy had a lot of demons that he was trying to work on all at the same time."
Halladay's love of aviation inspired him to buy a plane after his playing days were over. However, it was while flying that he met an untimely end.
"Roy would want everyone to know that people are notperfect," an emotional Brandy Halladaycontinued. "We all struggle, but with hard work, humility and dedication, imperfect people can still have perfect moments."
Who did Roy Halladay play for?
Halladay spent the first 11 years of his career in Toronto, winning the Cy Young award in 2003 and being named to the All-Star Game six times. He was traded to the Phillies in 2009 and spent four years with the team — throwing a perfect game and a no-hitter with the club.In 2013, he signed a one-day contract with Toronto that allowed him to retire as a Blue Jay.
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After his death, the Blue Jays and Phillies both announced that they would retire his number 34. Halladay was inducted into Cooperstown in 2019.