The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum's board of directors denied Curt Schilling's request to be removed from the 2022 Baseball Writers' Association of America Hall of Fame ballot in an unanimous vote Thursday.
Schilling will remain eligible for the BBWAA ballot for the 10th and final time next year.
Schilling, a six-time All-Star over 20 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox, was the leading vote-getter earlier this year when no one was elected. He was named on 71.1% of the ballots, 16 votes shy of the minimum needed for selection.
However, Schilling, in a lengthy letter to the Hall that he also posted to Facebook in January, asked to be removed from the writers' ballot next year.
"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," Schilling wrote. "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."
The BBWAA had recommended to the Hall of Fame in January that Schilling remain on the ballot.
Schilling had seen his vote share climb from 45% in 2017 to the 71.1% he received earlier this year. Historically, most players who reach the 70% level eventually garner enough support to land in Cooperstown. However, backlash against Schilling's public and social media comments appears to be limiting his support.
Also Thursday, Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr., Craig Biggio, and Tom Glavine were elected to the Hall of Fame's 17-member board of directors.
"They have all demonstrated their continuing commitment to baseball and to this institution," chairman Jane Forbes Clark said in a statement. "Their vision will help guide the Museum toward the future."
Griffey, who hit 630 home runs over 22 seasons with the Mariners, Reds and White Sox, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016. Biggio was elected in 2015 after a 20-year career spent entirely with the Astros and is member of the 3,000-hit club. Glavine, a two-time Cy Young Award winner who won 305 games for the Braves and Mets during 22 big league seasons, was elected in 2014.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.