The following article is part of Jay Jaffe’s ongoing look at the candidates on the BBWAA 2021 Hall of Fame ballot. For a detailed introduction to this year’s ballot, and other candidates in the series, use the tool above; an introduction to JAWS can be found here. All WAR figures refer to the Baseball-Reference version unless otherwise indicated.
Eight years ago, on the most top-heavy Hall of Fame ballot in at least half a century, the BBWAA voters pitched a shutout, electing nobody in what was seen by some as a referendum on character, particularly as it pertained to candidates linked to the usage of performance-enhancing drugs. On Tuesday, the writers put up a zero again, capping another election cycle dominated by debates over the significance of the on-and off-field transgressions of candidates, and for the first time since 2012 lacking any obviously qualified newcomers to the ballot.
Barry Bonds, Giants updates on 2021 HOF ballot | San Francisco Giants mlb.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mlb.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Curt Schilling asks to be removed from Hall of Fame contention after character snub
Table: Axios Visuals
There will be no Class of 2021 in the Baseball Hall of Fame, as voters pitched a shutout on Tuesday, rejecting all 25 candidates for enshrinement in Cooperstown.
The state of play: The top three candidates Curt Schilling (71.1%), Barry Bonds (61.8%) and Roger Clemens (61.6%) all fell short of the 75% needed.
What he s saying: Schilling, who was just 16 votes short, shared a letter on Facebook ripping baseball writers and asking to be taken off the ballot in 2022. I will not participate in the final year of voting. I am requesting to be removed from the ballot, Schilling wrote. I ll defer to the veterans committee and men whose opinions actually matter and who are in a position to actually judge a player.
Baseball Hall gets no new members; Schilling 16 votes shy - Sports castanet.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from castanet.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
They Played the Game: Hall of Fame Poll Lets Players Decide
Results of an annual poll suggest players largely agree with writers on Baseball Hall of Fame voting. They differ on Curt Schilling, Todd Helton and performance-enhancing drugs.
The former Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton was named on more than 75 percent of Hall of Fame ballots submitted in a poll of former players. He was named on just 44.9 percent of ballots by writers.Credit.Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
Jan. 25, 2021
There is only one sure way to become an eligible voter for the Baseball Hall of Fame: compile 10 consecutive years of membership in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. A different group considers managers, umpires, executives and long-retired players, but since its founding in 1936, the Hall has always asked writers to be the primary judges for the game’s highest honor. The latest election results were announced on Tuesday, with no players being elected for the first time since 20