For the first time since 1960, nobody was named to the Hall of Fame. In order to be inducted, a player must earn seventy-five percent of the votes from all writers ballots.

The highest vote getter was Curt Schilling, a dominating pitcher and by all accounts borderline Hall of Famer who has since become a controversial figure. He got 71.1 percent of the vote. Perhaps Bob Costas said it best: “Al Michaels talked his way into the Hall of Fame, Curt Schilling talked his way out.”

Afterward, Schilling, through Facebook, asked the Hall of Fame board to take his name off the ballot for 2022. The Hall of Fame does not want any part of Curt Schilling and, it appears, Curt Schilling does not want any part of the Hall of Fame.

The other two controversial figures on this year’s ballot, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, both got slightly over sixty-one percent of the vote.

In all, twenty five players were on the 2021 ballot. A player needs to receive at least five percent of the vote to remain on the ballot. And he is on the ballot for ten years. If he does not get voted in by then, he is removed from the ballot and is eligible if voted on by the veteran’s committee.

Not making the cut were Aramis Ramirez, LaTroy Hawkins, Barry Zito, A.J. Burnett, Michael Cuddyer, Dan Haren, Nick Swisher, and Shane Victorino.

Although there is no class of 2021, there will still be, however, a Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2021. The players who were voted in in 2020 but didn’t have a ceremony due to the pandemic will be honored instead, assuming it is allowed to happen.