No one, including Curt Schilling, will be inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.
For the first time since 2013, no candidates received the required number of votes necessary to be elected. Players are elected to the Hall if they are chosen on 75 percent of ballots cast by members of the BBWAA. Schilling led everyone on the 2021 ballot with 71.1 percent.
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SIGN UP HERE After the votes were unveiled, Schilling took to Facebook to post a long letter he sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame. In the letter, Schilling requests to be removed from next year's ballot.
"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," Schilling wrote. "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.
"Again, I won’t be able to thank you for your kindness and sincere interest in this process as it pertains to me. I’ll be forever grateful. God Bless you all again and one more time a final thank you for all your efforts to help my family and I."
You can read Schilling's full letter here.
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The only other players to receive more than 50 percent of the vote this year were outfielder Barry Bonds (61.8), pitcher Roger Clemens (61.6) and third baseman Scott Rolen (52.9). Like Schilling, Bonds and Clemens will be in their final year of eligibility in 2022.