Just 16 votes shy of Hall of Fame induction in the just-released votes by the Baseball Writers Association of America, Curt Schilling is taking his ball and going home. For a year, anyway.
The great-pitcher-but-terrible-person revealed the request in a Facebook letter just after the vote totals were announced. After a lengthy screed about how he has been misunderstood or misrepresented or some other things that are not really supported by the public record, Schilling writes this: “I will not participate in the final year of voting. I am requesting to be removed from the ballot. I’ll defer to the veterans committee and men whose opinions actually matter and who are in a position to actually judge a player. I don’t think I’m a hall of famer as I’ve often stated but if former players think I am then I’ll accept that with honor.”
Former players will be the ultimate judge, as it should be. I won’t allow a group of morally bankrupt frauds another year to lie about my life. https://t.co/UfggsxYclt
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) January 26, 2021
Since there was no chance Schilling, who cheered the insurrection attempt at the Capitol earlier this month, was going to add additional votes in the coming year, his request to be removed from the ballot is a bit of a shoulder shrugger. It wasn’t going to matter anyway.
Then again, if the removal means we can avoid next year a rehashing of the attention paid to Schilling this voting cycle, well, then, sure. By all means. Remove him.
Bonus fun from old friend Dan Haren:
According to twittter I was NOT elected to the baseball hall of fame. They will tell me I’m taken off the ballot next year, but I’d first like to announce that I’m REMOVING MYSELF from next years ballot and any going forward.
#0%— dan haren (@ithrow88) January 27, 2021