Former Phillies star has surprising reaction to Hall of Fame snub
Former Philadelphia Phillies star Curt Schilling had a surprising reaction to the Hall of Fame results
In January 2021, former Philadelphia Phillies star Curt Schilling asked to be removed from the 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, his final year of eligibility. When his request was denied, BBWAA voters took it upon themselves to erase him from their individual ballots.
So, it wasn’t exactly a surprise that Schilling received only 58.6% of the votes, a steep drop from last year’s 71.1%, almost enough for election. They were simply giving him what he wanted.
What was surprising was how Schilling handled it. On Tuesday, minutes after his former teammate David Ortiz was announced as the sole electee on the BBWAA ballot, Schilling, as he does almost daily, took to Twitter:
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
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) January 25, 2022
Of course, he followed up the classy tweet with one that was decidedly less so:
Absolutely should have been in 1st ballot esp if character actually mattered to a group with none https://t.co/CkByNoxSmp
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) January 26, 2022
He then went on a lengthy rant in a Live session on Twitter while playing with his pet ferrets. Among the highlights was Schilling claiming that the media “created someone who doesn’t exist.” It’s a bold and ironic claim considering much of Schilling’s self-destruction played out through what he posted to his social media, and here he is, complaining about it on social media.
Hall of fame rant! Or? Building with ferrets!! 🎥#live https://t.co/4pANRuPISz
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) January 26, 2022
You can see why the journalists of the BBWAA wouldn’t be keen to vote for someone who says they have no character. He’s also called them frauds and joked that they should be lynched.
Schilling had a long and successful career before he retired and tanked his reputation. He spent more of it (nine of twenty seasons) in a Phillies uniform than anywhere else, though he won his three World Series rings in Arizona and Boston.
After years of saying he didn’t care about the Hall of Fame and demanding to be removed from contention, it’s hard to know exactly how Schilling really feels about ending his eligibility on the outside looking in. It’s what he claims to want, though it’s hard to believe.
At least he took the high road for his former teammate.
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