Curt Schilling, three-time World Series champion, dropped 16 votes before the 75% mark that would make it a Hall of Fame this year. Schilling will have one more opportunity next year to reach Cooperstown, but the former Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox star wants his name removed from the vote.
On Tuesday, after again falling short of consecration, Schilling shared a letter on his Facebook saying that he will not participate in the last year of voting.
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In response to Schilling, Baseball Writers’ Association of America [BBWAA] Secretary / treasurer Jack O’Connell issued a statement on Wednesday, saying they would “ask” the Hall of Fame to keep Schilling at the ballot box.
“It is the position of the Baseball Writers Association of America that Mr. Schilling’s request to withdraw from the ballot is a violation of the rules set by the board of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which mandated BBWAA to conduct the annual elections, specifically the following: ‘The duty of the Selection Committee will be to prepare an alphabetical list of ballots in order of eligible candidates who (1) received a vote on at least five percent (5%) of the votes cast in the previous election or (2) are eligible for the first time and are appointed by any two of the six members of the BBWAA Selection Committee. ‘
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“Mr. Schilling has met both requirements and must remain on the ballot for consideration by the voting body for what would be his last year on the BBWAA ballot in 2022.
“The Hall of Fame designated BBWAA to be the electorate in 1936. This association has followed the rules for 85 years and must continue to do so. BBWAA urges the board to reject Mr. Schilling’s request.”
Schilling shot for 20 MLB seasons, had 216 career wins, with an ERA of 3.46 and 3,116 eliminations. He finished second in Cy Young’s vote three separate times.
Schilling is best remembered for launching the 2004 ALCS game 6 against the New York Yankees with a bloody sock, which resulted from an injury to the ankle tendon, and the bloody sock was a by-product of the stitches pressing against his tendon. The Red Sox ended up winning the game and ended their 86-year wait for the World Series title.
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Since Schilling retired from baseball as a player, he has been surrounded by controversy.
First, he was suspended from ESPN while in the Little League World Series, after sending a tweet comparing Muslim extremists to Germans from the Nazi era. He ended up getting fired from the network after making a comment on his Facebook about trans people.
When people attacked the United States Capitol a few weeks ago, Schilling immediately took his thoughts to Twitter on the subject.
“You cowards sat on your hands, you did nothing while the liberal garbage ransacked and burned Jordan’s and big screens, relax … and watch people start a confrontation over (expletive) that matters like rights, democracy and the end of corruption governmental, “Schilling wrote at the time.
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Schilling added in his Facebook post about the Hall of Fame that he is “at peace”.
“In my 22 years of playing professional baseball in the most culturally diverse sports locker rooms, I never said or acted in any other role than being a good teammate,” wrote Schilling. “I was certainly exposed to racism, sexism and homophobia as part of who human beings are. I’ve played and talked to gay guys. I have played with women beaters, adulterers, the beaten, drug addicts and alcoholics. I have never hit a woman, drunk, used drugs, PEDs or any other type, assaulted someone or committed any type of crime.
“But now I am somehow in a conversation with two men who have betrayed and, instead of being responsible, they have chosen to destroy other lives to protect their lie.”
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Schilling continued: “I will always have something that they will pursue forever. A legacy. Whatever mine is as a player, it will be the truth, and something I have won for better or worse.
“Having said all that the media created a Curt Schilling that does not exist and never existed. It is one of the things that allowed me to sleep at night. it again. It was never malicious, it never hurt another person intentionally or intentionally. I was 100% responsible and I still am. “