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Roy Halladay Dies In Plane Crash In Gulf Of Mexico

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay was killed when his plane crashed in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday afternoon.

One person, later identified as Halladay, died in the crash. The tail number of the aircraft matches Halladay's plane.

Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Halladay is a former eight-time All-Star pitcher for the Blue Jays (1998-2009) and the Phillies (2010-2013). He won the Cy Young Award in 2003 and 2010.

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Roy Halladay (credit: CBS)

Halladay graduated from Arvada West High School in 1995.

"We've got Roy in the front entrance, I've got Roy in my office, we've got Roy behind us..." said Arvada West Athletic Director Mike Mulvaney.

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(credit: CBS)

After being named the starter for the American League all-star team in 2009 the Denver Post called him "the greatest starting pitcher the state of Colorado has produced."

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(credit: CBS)

Halladay's photos and awards hang proudly in the halls of Arvada West, where he was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays after graduation.

Halladay was one of the best (and highest paid) pitchers in the major leagues during his relatively short career (he announced his retirement in 2013). After the 2009 season the Blue Jays traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies and in 2010 alone he A) pitched a perfect game against the Florida Marlins B) had 21 wins and C) pitched a no-hitter on Oct. 6, 2010, in the first round of the playoffs. He was within one out of a no-hitter on Sept. 27, 1998, in just his second major league start, pitching for Toronto against Detroit.

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office say Halladay sent no mayday calls before he went down around noon.

"We know Roy as a person, as a caring husband who loved his wife, Brandy, who loved his two boys tremendously," said Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco.

The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash.

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The plane crash site where Roy Halladay was killed (credit: CBS)

Nocco called Halladay one of the "most humble beings you would ever meet."

"He was one in a million. It is a true loss for us. I have no doubt he is looking down with God up in heaven because his heart is a heart of gold and he was an unbelievable human being," said Nocco.

Halladay has two children with his wife, Brandy.

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Arvada West High Athletic Director Mike Mulvaney (credit: CBS)

"You could tell that watching him, there was something special there," said Mulvaney. "You have something that you're passionate about, go work at it."

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