Baseball has always been synonymous with the United States of America. It was invented here when the country was only decades old. Heroes of the game are often philanthropists and agents for social change. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum enshrines these legends in its hallowed halls.

Every year, the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) votes on a slate of recent retirees that they consider to be worthy of this honor. In many years, the debate is intense and often centers around the so-called character clause: "Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played." [Election rule 5, emphasis author]

The BBWAA will have another difficult decision on its hand this year. On January 6, 2021, a large group of agitators illegally entered the United States Capitol. They overpowered the police to break into the seat of our democracy and blazed a trail of destruction. As of this writing, the riot caused five deaths. After the situation calmed down, Curt Schilling tweeted his support for the violent insurrection. Curt Schilling is on this year's ballot.

Schilling has courted controversy consistently over the last several years but still garners votes for election to the Hall of Fame, appearing on 70% of the ballots cast in 2020. Supporting a treasonous cause must be the line that bars someone from election, though. This is America's game. Someone who aggressively encourages violence against the United States of America must not honored alongside great men such as Roberto Clemente, Lou Gehrig, and Jackie Robinson.

The signers of this petition demand that the BBWAA not elect Curt Schilling and implore the Hall of Fame to bar him from ever being enshrined in the hall, whether by vote or committee. Free speech is one of the most valuable rights we have as Americans and Schilling is free to speak as he wishes. Approval of treasonous behavior is unignorable, though. 

Keep Schilling out of the Hall of Fame.