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Curt Schilling is expected to remain on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot next year despite his request for removal, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America said in its recommendation to the Hall’s board of directors on Wednesday.
“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 out by the board of directors of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which has instructed the BBWAA to conduct the annual elections, in particular the following: “ The duty of the selection committee is to prepare a voting list in alphabetical order of eligible candidates who (1) obtained a vote of a minimum of five percent (5%) of the previous election ballots or (2) are eligible for the first time and are nominated by two of the six members of the BBWAA selection committee. ”
“Mr. Schilling has met both of these conditions and is expected to remain on the ballot for consideration by the voting body for what would be his final year on the BBWAA ballot in 2022. The Hall of Fame has nominated the BBWAA to be the l ‘electorate in 1936. This association has played by the rules for 85 years and will continue to do so. BBWAA urges council to reject Mr. Schilling’s request, “said Jack O’Connell, BBWAA Secretary / Treasurer said in a press release.
Schilling, six-time All-Star over 20 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox, was the top voter in the 2021 class with 285 votes, but with 71.8% of the votes. the vote, he did not reach the 75% threshold to win the Hall of Fame election. Following the announcement of the vote totals, Schilling shared on Facebook on Tuesday that he wrote a letter to the Hall of Fame on Monday asking to be removed from the poll in 2022.
“I will not be participating in the last year of voting. I am asking to be removed from the ballot. I will defer to the veterans committee and the men whose opinions really matter and who are able to judge a player,” said Schilling. wrote. “I don’t think I’m a Hall of Fame like I’ve said many times, but if former players think I am, I will accept it with honor.”
Schilling had seen his share of the vote drop from 45% in 2017 to 70% last year. Historically, most players who hit the 70% level eventually get enough support to land in Cooperstown. However, backlash against Schilling’s public comments and on social media appears to limit his support.
Among Schilling’s most controversial statements was a tweet from 2016, later deleted, in which he appeared to approve of the lynching of journalists. More recently, Schilling has expressed support for the Jan.6 attack on the U.S. Capitol – although the writers’ ballots were submitted before that date.
Additionally, Schilling was fired as a baseball analyst by ESPN after posting a derogatory post on social media about transgender people. This followed his previous suspension by the network after comparing extremist Muslims to the Nazis in a social media post.
“I can say at this point that I have finished mentally. I know the math and I know the trends and I know I will not meet the 75% threshold for induction,” Schilling wrote in his letter. “As I have often said over the past few years to those with whom I have spoken in my heart, I am at peace. Nothing, zero, none of the claims made by any of the writers has merit. “
“Whatever mine is as a player, it will be the truth, and I won it for better or for worse,” he continued. “The game made it clear that they didn’t want me to come back and that’s great, the game owes me exactly nothing. He gave a billion times more than it took and I will be still deeply in debt. “
Hall of Fame board chair Jane Forbes Clark said in a statement Tuesday that the board will consider Schilling’s request “at our next meeting.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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