Curt Schilling isn't shy about sharing conspiracy theories concerning his political beliefs. He has another one about his Hall of Fame prospects. The Red Sox postseason hero and outspoken conservative told WEEI on Friday that "the left" has painted him as a racist and that's keeping him out of Cooperstown.
"We're at a point in time now where the left has managed to marginalize me in the media," Schilling said on the "Mut and Callahan" show. "It's weird. People dismiss me out of hand as a racist. I've never said a racist word in my life."
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In his seventh year on the ballot, Schilling fell short of Hall induction again this week. He received 60.9 percent of the vote from Baseball Writers Association of America Hall electors, shy of the 75 percent needed but this highest vote total yet. He has three years remaining on the BBWAA ballot.
"That [political views] certainly has played a part in all this, and the only reason I say that is because people have said as much, voters," Schilling said. "It is what it is."
Schilling supporters point to Mike Mussina's Hall election this week as evidence that Schilling, the former Phillies, Diamondbacks and Red Sox ace, should also be enshrined. Schilling won three World Series titles (one in Arizona, two in Boston) and won 216 regular-season games with a 3.46 ERA in 20 seasons. He was 11-2 in the postseason. Mussina, a five-time All-Star, wasn't on any world championship teams and won 270 games with a 3.68 ERA in 18 seasons.
In his WEEI appearance, Schilling singled out The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy as a Hall voter who is holding Schilling's politics against him.
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Shaughnessy later called the show to defend his vote, saying he has voted for Schilling in the past, but he considers him "a bubble candidate" based on his stats.
"Curt's character is not helping his cause with me," Shaughnessy said. "Curt's gotta stop that it's all because of his politics. He's very much a bubble candidate. He's 11-2 in the postseason. I'd certainly give him the ball ahead of Mussina [whom Shaughnessy said he didn't vote for]."
Shaughnessy said if Schilling took a break from political commentary, it may boost his chances. Schilling has seen a 15.9 percent increase in votes the past three years: from 45.0 percent in 2017 to 51.2 percent in 2018 to 60.9 this season.
"If he went and stood in the corner for a year, it might help him with some of the writers," Schilling said.
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