The National Baseball Hall of Fame won’t have Curt Schilling to kick around anymore.
The former Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox ace failed to qualify for Cooperstown Tuesday, appearing on 58.6% of the ballots, well below the 75% threshold needed for induction.
And since it was Schilling’s 10th and final time on the ballot, the burly right-hander is ready to move on with his life. Here’s what he posted on Twitter immediately after learning former teammate David Ortiz was the only person elected this year:
Every year the conversation revolves around who didn’t get in. Like all star voting, who got cheated. I say it every year and especially this year, focus on who did get in. @davidortiz deserved a 1st ballot induction! Congratulations my friend you earned it! #bigpapiHoF
However Schilling returned to Twitter later in the evening and posted a rambling, 40-minute video “rant.” Among the topics he touched on, according to the New York Post:
Schilling said he is still hopeful of reaching the Hall of Fame and would go in as a Diamondback if he does. He sounds even more excited about potentially doing so without the help of the writers. Schilling said if he doesn’t ultimately make it, then he “didn’t deserve it” and he’ll “sleep fine.”
A year ago at this time, Schilling appeared to be on his way to reaching the Hall of Fame, missing induction by just 16 votes. In fact, he had received at least 70% of the vote in two straight years, setting the table for his election in 2022.
But after falling short last year, Schilling went scorched-earth on voters, and demanded to be removed from the ballot (a request the Hall denied). Of course, Schilling has done himself no favors since retiring, becoming an outspoken conservative voice supporting former President Donald Trump.
Schilling’s on-the-field qualifications for Cooperstown are legit. He was a six-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion. Schilling is considered one of the greatest postseason pitchers of all-time (11-2, 2.23 ERA in 19 starts).
But his controversial off-the-field comments proved to be too much for Schilling’s candidacy to overcome.
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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.
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