Former Boston Red Sox ace Curt Schilling certainly had a lot to say when he was not voted into the Hall of Fame this past winter. While he did receive 71.1% of the vote, an increase over his 2020 total, it was not enough for induction. Naturally, Schilling claimed there was a conspiracy to keep him out, and demanded to be taken off the ballot for his final year.
As is the case with most of Schilling’s tantrums, this one has come to naught. The Hall of Fame has unanimously rejected his request to be removed from the ballot, giving him one more year of going through the voting process.
In a release, the @baseballhall announces its Board of Directors unanimously rejected Curt Schilling's request to be removed from the Hall of Fame ballot in his 10th and final year on the ballot.
— C. Trent Rosecrans (@ctrent) July 29, 2021
Boston Red Sox former star Curt Schilling has request denied
Schilling has a compelling case for the Hall based on his pure numbers. He posted a 216-146 record with a 3.46 ERA and a 1.137 WHiP over his 3261 innings, striking out 3116 batters with just 711 walks. A six time All Star and a key part of the Red Sox breaking the Curse in 2004, he has the statistical resume for indiction.
However, it is about more than stats when it comes to the Hall. The character clause looms large in his case, just as it does for Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. While Schilling does not have the PED questions that hound Bonds and Clemens, his character is still questionable at best.
Schilling has not exactly been a paragon of virtue since his retirement. He defrauded the state of Rhode Island of $75 million for a video game company that went bankrupt. His constant rants about the “liberal media” and hate speech directed towards immigrants, women, and minorities led to his being fired from ESPN. He also did not help his cause with being voted in by showing approval of a shirt calling for the lynching of journalists.
But none of that matters to Schilling. In his mind, he has done nothing wrong. The voters are obviously biased against him, and it is a conspiracy to keep him from getting his recognition. The character clause may matter for Bonds and Clemens, but Schilling feels that it does not apply to him.
Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling will be on the Hall of Fame ballot for a tenth year. His latest tantrum has been shut down by a unanimous vote.