Curt Schilling
The blackballing of Curt Schilling is for a different reason. On the field, there was never a more fierce competitor. Off the field, during his post-playing days, Schilling has been very controversial. His Conservative political views, a failed gaming company and tweets that subsequently got him fired from ESPN all add fuel to the controversy fire.
Schilling’s support has fallen from 52 percent to 45 percent over the last year. The “moral police” strike again!
Albeit, he is an average regular season pitcher by any standard. It is in the playoffs where the word “clutch” and Schilling become synonymous. An 11-2 post-season record and a staggering 2.23 ERA helped the teams that Schilling manned the hill for win three World Series Championships, and this includes a World Series MVP in 2001.
While the post-season resume should cement Schilling’s place in Cooperstown, his honors and awards are nothing to scoff at. Schilling was a six-time All-Star, two-time National League strikeout leader and two-time Major League wins leader.
The exclusion of Curt Schilling is the most egregious of all the Hall of Fame slights because it’s based on beliefs rather than evidence of cheating. With known racists like Ty Cobb and Trist Speaker in Cooperstown, the Baseball Writers need to judge a player about their accomplishments on the field.
Hall of Fame Moment: Oct. 19, 2004, Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. Known as the “bloody sock game,” Schilling’s performance propelled the Boston Red Sox to a win over the rival New York Yankees and forced a Game 7. The Red Sox would go on to win the 2004 World Series behind the pitching of Schilling, ending the “Curse of the Bambino.”
