Phillies fans should be excited for the Wall of Fame night this summer
After last years Pete Rose/Wall of Fame debacle the Phillies had to get this year’s class right, and they hit the nail on the head. The organization announced Tuesday afternoon they will posthomunously honor pitcher Roy Halladay by inducting him onto the Wall of Fame.
Halladay pitched for the Phillies from 2010-13 prior to retiring in 2014 with a Cy Young award and both a no-hitter and perfect game during the 2010 season. The 40-year-old passed away in a single-passenger plane crash in November off the coast of Florida.
Joining Halladay on the wall will be the general manager of the 2008 World Series club Pat Gillick. Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011 Gillick spent three seasons as the Phillies general manager and later worked as the club president for two years, preleuding Andy MacPhail.
Gillick, 80, will be the first non-player/manager to be inducted onto the Wall of Fame.
Last year the wall did not see a former player, coach, or executive inducted after allegations arose regarding former infielder Pete Rose prior to his induction. The organization instead honored three members of the Wall of Fame who passed away leading up to the ceremony: manager Dallas Green, Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning, and catcher Darren Daulton.
Halladay’s induction was likely even prior to his untimely death this offseason. Philadelphia’s marketing team likely frowned upon having another ceremony honoring a deceased member of the organization as the highlight to Alumni Weekend in the dog days of summer. That’s where Gillick (rightfully) enters the picture as an important piece of the organization’s history leading up to their first World Series in 28 years.
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The organization had to get it right after Rose nearly sullied the wall’s importance with reports he engaged in unlawful activities with minors during his playing days. Remembering Halladay and honoring the Hall of Fame general manager who brought a championship to the city does justice.
Next year fans could see the continuation of a wave of players from the 2008 team after Pat Burrell led off in 2015. The organization changed the eligibility rules prior to the 2016 vote to allow more players from the World Series team onto the wall, requiring a player need only four years of service with the team to be considered and just three years into retirement.
Next: Top 10 Pitchers in Phillies history
Potential candidates for the Wall of Fame in 2019 include Scott Rolen, Jamie Moyer, Shane Victorino, Brett Myers, and Brad Lidge.