Sports Card Memories

I could go on and on about Curt Schilling, some good, some bad. So take a seat and get ready. This post will be like nothing you have read from me. Here we go...

Schilling came to the Orioles in a trade with Boston for Mike Boddicker. I was going to school at Towson State in Maryland when the trade went down. I chuckled because Boddicker was a solid pitcher and neither Schilling nor Brady Anderson, the other player in the deal, showed much when they came to the Orioles.

I saw him pitch in 1988. I believe it was against the Angels, but don't shoot me if I am wrong. It might have been a doubleheader, again, I'm not sure. Anyway, they shelled him and from that day forward, I always knew him as Curt Schelling. Yeah, I was young...

Then the Orioles traded him along with Pete Harnisch and Steve Finley for Glenn Davis, who was an Astros power hitter and a stud. I couldn't believe the Orioles of all organizations could steal a player like Davis for three scrubs. Little did I know that Davis would get injured over and over and barely play for the Orioles before retiring. Davis was on the DL, sitting in the dugout, and a line drive shattered his jaw. Sometimes, you just can't win.

So he kicked around with the Astros briefly before being traded to the Phillies for  Jason Grimsley in one of those, I'll take your junk if you take ours deals. Who knew?? Not Houston. The rest is history to baseball fans but I'll tell you this, it didn't seem Schilling had that many fans in the Phillies dugout. The towel over the head while Mitch Williams pitched probably didn't do him any favors.

Let's move forward to retirement. Schilling is out of baseball and must wait five years to be eligible for the Hall of Fame. Upfront, I am not a supporter of his candidacy. He belongs in the Hall of Very Good, but not the Hall of Fame. But let's just say somehow he gets the votes to get in. He was with the Red Sox and that helps, and he has two rings and a bloody sock so anything can happen.

What hat does he wear on his Hall of Fame plaque? If you ask him, I'm certain he'll say Red Sox. Sorry Curt, it ain't gonna happen! The Hall of Fame decides which hat you will wear on your plaque thanks to players like Davie Winfield who actually attempted to sell his plaque to the highest bidder. When Gary Carter was elected, he begged and pleaded to wear a Mets' cap. They wouldn't let him. Carter spent 11 seasons with the Expos (his plaque) and only five with the Mets. Even with his World Series ring, they refused to let him in with a Mets' cap.

As for Schilling, he spent eight seasons in Philly and only four with the Red Sox. How could the Hall of Fame justify letting him in with a Red Sox cap after denying Carter his choice? Could they say "bloody sock" and "2 rings?" Anything is possible and none of us have a say in the matter, but with Carter passing recently, I would hope they would not dishonor him that way.

I think this is all for nothing as Schilling in no way a Hall of Famer. But I find it an interesting topic of conversation. I would love to hear what you have to say about it.