Nobody's baseball story is like Roy Halladay's.He was born and raised to be a superstar. He was a first-round draft pick in 1995. He nearly threw a no-hitter in his second big-league start in 1998. But two years later, Halladay suffered arguably the worst season by any pitcher in baseball history. He was months away from being out of the game.Hall of Fame pitchers do not struggle like that. But Halladay vowed to change. He altered his pitching mechanics and rewired his brain to become one of the greatest pitchers of all time. How did Doc do it? Doc: The Life of Roy Halladay tells the remarkable story; based on more than 100 interviews with Halladay's family, friends, managers, coaches, teammates, and competitors, including extensive interviews with his wife, Brandy; comprehensive archival research; and previously unpublished commentary from Halladay himself. Doc not only tells the story of Halladay's illustrious baseball career in Toronto and Philadelphia, but his hard-driven adolescence, his lifelong personal struggles, and his motivation to pay forward the knowledge and philosophies that helped him achieve baseball greatness before his tragic death in 2017.This essential biography is a testimonial for baseball players and pitchers from high school to the big leagues still searching for their path to excellence, like Halladay. It's also a celebration and a profound exploration of a generational pitcher and a beloved teammate, friend, and family man.

"The Roy Halladay story has so many levels. [Todd Zolecki] fearlessly explores them all in Doc." Jayson Stark, writer for The Athletic"Beautifully written by Todd Zolecki. Was an excellent depiction of the baseball and personal life of the fiercest, most accountable teammate, son, father, husband, and friend." Ruben Amaro Jr., former general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies"Great writing by Todd Zolecki." Dan Plesac, MLB Network analyst and former Halladay teammate "Highly recommend." John Barr, host of ESPN's E:60 documentary "Imperfect: The Roy Halladay Story"?"A very worthwhile read for Blue Jays and Phillies fans, or for any baseball fan, for that matter. Captures him extremely well." Dan Shulman, ESPN and Blue Jays broadcaster"What a great book! I highly recommend it!" Dusty Wathan, Philadelphia Phillies third base coach"Can't recommend it enough. Read it in two days. Floored by the breadth of the reporting and how Todd handled such a sad and complicated story." Jesse Dougherty, The Washington Post "Can't put it down." Ben Davis, Phillies broadcaster?"If you're interested in digging deeper into the Halladay story you should be picking up a copy of the book from [Todd Zolecki]. It's extremely well researched and a great read." Gregor Chisholm, The Toronto Star "Very powerful book from Todd Zolecki on Doc." John Clark, NBC Sports Philadelphia"Compelling ... Zolecki's work is meticulous in detail ... leads readers on a compassionate journey ... artfully and respectfully paints the picture [of Halladay]." The Toronto Sun

Todd Zolecki is the Philadelphia Phillies beat reporter for MLB.com. He is the author of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Philadelphia Phillies, and The Rotation: A Season with the Phillies and the Greatest Pitching Staff Ever Assembled.

Press Releases

Doc: The Life of Roy Halladay

By Todd Zolecki

Contact: Bill Ames, Triumph Books, 312.676.4256, b.ames@triumphbooks.com

Roy “Doc” Halladay was an All-Star, a two-time Cy Young winner, a superstar and ultimately a Hall of Famer. But Roy was also a quiet enigma, a man who worked harder than anyone and let his pitches do his talking. He intimidated opponents, and his silent intensity hung between him and the media, his fans and even some of his teammates.

In Doc: The Life of Roy Halladay (Triumph Books, May 19, 2020), longtime Phillies writer Todd Zolecki reveals the real Roy Halladay in a way which has never been done before. Thoroughly and thoughtfully reported, with input and reflections from Halladay's teammates, coaches, competitors and more, this is an essential biography for baseball fans everywhere. Highlights include:

More than a hundred interviews with Roy’s coaches, teammates, friends, family, and childhood and minor league confidants, as well as extensive interviews with Roy’s wife, Brandy

An examination of Halladay's distinctive, disciplined approach to pitching, his impact as a teammate and community member and the baseball world's honoring of these qualities in Cooperstown in 2019

Trained to be a pitcher since childhood, witness Roy Halladay’s early years and what lead him to garnering the attention of major league scouts as a teenager in Colorado





From Roy’s driven adolescence chasing a baseball dream to his largely unknown early struggles as a big leaguer, from his methodical reinvention as an ace in Toronto to the signature no-hitter he authored in his playoff debut with the Philadelphia Phillies, from the battles at the end of his career to his struggles in retirement and untimely death,. Doc: The Life of Roy Halladay peels away everything to show us the true Roy Halladay.

About the Author:

Todd Zolecki is the Philadelphia Phillies beat reporter for MLB.com. He is the author of The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly: Philadelphia Phillies, and co-author of The Rotation: A Season with the Phillies and One of the Greatest Pitching Staffs Ever Assembled. He appears frequently on MLB Network and SportsRadio 94 WIP in Philadelphia. He lives with his family in Media, Pennsylvania.

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