Schilling short of HOF in final year on ballot
PHOENIX -- Former D-backs right-hander Curt Schilling came up short once again for enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, finishing with 58.6 percent of the vote in results announced Tuesday evening.
Red Sox outfielder David Ortiz was the lone player who received at least 75 percent of the vote, and he will be inducted on July 24 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
This was Schilling's final year of eligibility on the regular Hall of Fame ballot, which is voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Schilling could still make it into the Hall of Fame in the future via the various committees.
The BBWAA's Historical Overview Committee drafts the ballot that will be considered by the Today's Game Era Committee, which is scheduled to meet at the Winter Meetings in December. Whether Schilling will be on that ballot is not known yet.
Schilling seemed on the verge of election last year, when he got 71.1 percent of the vote, just 16 votes shy of induction.
Following that vote, Schilling -- who has generated controversy for inflammatory comments since his retirement -- wrote a letter to the Hall of Fame in which he asked to have his name removed from the ballot. The Hall of Fame denied that request.
Acquired by Arizona prior to the Trade Deadline in 2000, Schilling helped lead the D-backs to the 2001 World Series title by going 22-6 with a 2.98 ERA. He was even better in the postseason, going 4-0 with a 1.12 ERA.
Schilling started three games in the 2001 World Series, including Game 7, and was named co-MVP of the Fall Classic along with Randy Johnson.
In 2002, Schilling helped the D-backs once again reach the postseason finishing with a 23-7 record and a 3.23 ERA.
In both 2001 and '02, Schilling finished second in National League Cy Young Award voting to Johnson.
After going 58-28 overall in Arizona, Schilling was dealt to the Red Sox following the 2003 season.
In his letter to the Hall of Fame last year, Schilling said his preference would be to enter the Hall of Fame with a D-backs logo on his hat.