It appears politics, perceived bigotry, and steroid allegations contributed to nobody being elected to the 2021 class of the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday.
Former right-hander Curt Schilling, whose right-wing politics and Twitter rants apparently turned off some voters, came the closest to being elected. His 71.1% of the vote fell short of the necessary 75% to be enshrined at Cooperstown, N.Y.
Schilling's baseball exploits with the Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Boston Red Sox were arguably Hall of Fame caliber. But "Schilling has ostracized himself in retirement by directing hateful remarks toward Muslims, transgender people, journalists, and others," according to the Associated Press.
Ex-Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds (60.7%), and former Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Yankees right-hander Roger Clemens (61.6%) also fell short. Both were implicated in baseball's steroid scandal.
It is the second time in the past 8 years, and just the 9th time since the first inductions in 1936, no candidate received the percent of votes necessary to gain election to baseball's Hall of Fame.
Schilling, Bonds, and Clemens all have one more year of eligibility on the ballot for the Baseball Writers Association of America. After that, their Hall of Fame fates go to the Veterans Committee.
However, Schilling posted a long letter to the Hall of Fame on Facebook and said, "I will not participate in the final year of voting. I am requesting to be removed from the ballot."
On Twitter, Schilling wrote: "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."
Schilling was suspended from his ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball" job in 2015 for comparing Muslims to Nazis, per NJ.com. He then was fired by the network a year later for hateful social media posts about transsexuals and the LGBTQ community.
After rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Schilling tweeted: "You cowards sat on your hands, did nothing while liberal trash looted rioted and burned for air Jordan's and big screens, sit back, stfu, and watch folks start a confrontation for shit that matters like rights, democracy and the end of govt corruption. #itshappening"