Curt Schilling tells Baseball Hall of Fame to remove him from ballot
In a grievance-filled, 1,100-word screed posted to his Facebook account, Curt Schilling requested he be eliminated from Hall of Fame consideration in his ultimate yr of eligibility, reiterating his disdain for the information media and expressing disgust that his historical past of transphobic and violent statements are conflated with performance-enhancing drug customers.
Schilling narrowly missed election to the Hall of Fame on Tuesday night, getting named on 71.1% of 301 ballots, simply 16 votes shy of the 75% required for induction.
It was Schilling’s ninth yr of eligibility, and his vote share has almost doubled since receiving 38.8% in 2013.
But Schilling’s upward development in voting – not atypical for gamers whose statistical circumstances are shy of computerized – has come as his off-field conduct and apparent belief system has angered supporters. Schilling was fired from his position on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball in 2016 after posting an anti-transgender meme to his Facebook web page.
HALL OF FAME: Nobody voted in for first time since 2013
In latest years, he has aligned with far-right extremists similar to former President Trump advisor Steve Bannon, expressed help for a meme that read “Rope. Tree. Journalist,” and questioned aloud whether or not Muslims could also be as dangerous as Nazis.
Most not too long ago, Schilling tweeted strident support for the group that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 in an try to overturn election outcomes.
“sit back [shut up] and watch folks start a confrontation for [expletive] that matters like rights, democracy and the end of [government] corruption. #itshappening,” Schilling tweeted, partly.
Ballots for the 2021 election had to be postmarked Dec. 31, which means Tuesday’s outcomes didn’t replicate any potential blowback from his remarks on the Capitol assault, throughout which 5 individuals died.
His letter to the Hall prompt he was offended that his private views may cost him help and lump him in with Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, who’ve slam-dunk statistical circumstances for the Hall of Fame but are strongly tied to performance-enhancing drug use.
Like Schilling, they’re of their ninth and penultimate yr on the ballot, logging 61.8% (Bonds) and 61.6% (Clemens).
A file 14 clean ballots had been submitted, in accordance to the Hall of Fame, which is a type of protest vote voters have used up to now to suppress candidacies.
Voting is carried out by 10-year members of the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America.
“Nothing, zero, none of the claims being made by any of the writers hold merit,” Schilling wrote in his message. “In my 22 years playing professional baseball in the most culturally diverse locker rooms in sports I’ve never said or acted in any capacity other than being a good teammate.
“I’ve certainly been exposed to racism and sexism and homophobia as it’s part of who human beings are. I’ve played with and talked with gay teammates. I’ve played with wife beaters, adulterers, assaulted, drug addicts and alcoholics. I’ve never hit a woman, driven drunk, done drugs, PEDs or otherwise, assaulted anyone or committed any sort of crime.
“But I’m now somehow in a conversation with two men who cheated, and instead of being accountable they chose to destroy others lives to protect their lie. I will always have one thing they will forever chase. A legacy. Whatever mine is as a player it will be the truth, and one I earned for better or worse.
“Having said all that the media has created a Curt Schilling that does not and has never existed. It’s one of the things that has allowed me to sleep at night.”
Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the board for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, mentioned in a press release to USA TODAY Sports: “As you know, the Board of Directors of the National Baseball Hall of Fame sets the rules and procedures for the BBWAA balloting process. The Board has received Curt Schilling’s request for removal from the 2022 ballot, and will consider the request at our next meeting.”
Schilling’s request shouldn’t be unprecedented. Marvin Miller, who shepherded the Players’ Association out of an period of servitude and towards prosperity, was snubbed in Veterans’ Committee elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011, after which he requested he not be thought-about for the dignity.
Miller died in 2012; he was elected by the Today’s Game committee in December 2019 and will likely be enshrined this July.
Schilling gained 216 video games in his profession, his 3,116 strikeouts and peripheral stats buttressing his candidacy. He additionally gained 11 postseason video games, profitable World Series in 2001, 2004 and 2007.
