Roy Halladay's family sets celebration of life for pitcher killed in plane crash

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- A celebration of Roy Halladay's life will take place next Tuesday at Spectrum Field, the spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner died this week at age 40 when the private plane he was piloting crashed into the Gulf of Mexico.

"We remember him as an amazing father, loving husband and loyal friend,'' his family said in a statement Thursday. "He described each achievement as a team effort rather than an individual accomplishment, a true testament to his character and love for his teammates.''

Halladay pitched for Toronto from 1998 to 2008 and for Philadelphia from 2009 to '13, going 203-105. He threw a perfect game in 2010, and that fall pitched only the second postseason no-hitter in big league history.

"He was an amazing coach for many youth teams, always showing patience and encouragement while reminding each child that they all had a role to play, a way to contribute and add value to their team,'' his family said. "His love for the game had no boundaries as we often saw him instructing and encouraging the players on opposing teams. Roy was selfless in every aspect of his life.''