Schilling led all 2021 candidates by getting named on 71.1 percent of the ballots (285 of 401 votes), but it fell short of the 75 percent threshold needed to get in the hallowed Hall. Next year would be the last year he can be on the ballot. In a letter to the Baseball Writers Association of America, who votes on current eligible players, Schilling said thanks, but no thanks to being on their ballot again.

“Thank you for your kindness and sincere interest in this process as it pertains to me. I’ll be forever grateful,” Schilling wrote.

“I want to reiterate this final point. 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. 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.”

Here’s Schilling’s Facebook post in its entirety.

Schilling’s bashing of the baseball writers was evident early on in his letter to them, claiming he played in some of the “most culturally diverse locker rooms in sports” and said he “never said or acted in any capacity other than being a good teammate.” Schilling said he was exposed to racism, sexism and homophobia “as it’s part of human beings are,” he continued.

Schilling won four World Series titles with four different teams—Philadelphia Phillies (1993), Arizona Diamondbacks (2001) and the Boston Red Sox (2004 and 2007).

He has a career record 216-146, and has 3,116 career strikeouts with a 3.46 career earned-run average.

This year marked the first time since 1960 that no new members were elected into the Hall of Fame. Schilling led a trio of former stars who were all in their ninth year on the ballot. Giants slugger Barry Bonds, the all-time home run leader, was second by appearing on 61.8 percent of the ballots and 354-game winning pitcher Roger Clemens was on 61.6 percent of the voter ballots.

Bonds and Clemens were major players in the steroid-era of baseball, and voters have been reluctant to include them for their accused (or proven) parts in that scandal.

Schilling, on the other hand, has reportedly been disliked for his political views, which lean heavily conservative. He has been an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, and he was fired from ESPN in 2016 for trans-gender remarks. He had been previously suspended that year for anti-Muslim remarks.

Shortly after the attacks on the U.S. Capitol of January 6 this year, Schilling tweeted his support of the insurgents’ roles while slamming Democrats.

“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 sh** that matters like rights, democracy and the end of govt corruption,” Schilling tweeted that day.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Cooperstown, New York. All ballots from voters had to be submitted by December 31, 2019.