Full Name : Curtis Montague Schilling
Born : November 14, 1966
Hometown : Anchorage, Alaska
Height : 6' 5
Weight : 235 lbs
Bats : Right
Throws : Right
Major League Baseball debut : September 7, 1988 for the Baltimore Orioles
Family : wife, Shonda; sons, Gehrig, Grant, Garrison; daughter, Gabriella
Primary Position : Starting Pitcher
Very few pitchers in Major League Baseball show consistency throughout their career. Undoubtedly, Curt Schilling has proven that he is not only an ace, but a team leader as well. Born on November 14, 1966, in Anchorage, Alaska, Schilling did not have much playing experience throughout his childhood until he moved to Arizona. During his teenage years, Schilling lived in Phoenix, Arizona and attended Shadow Mountain High School. However, his impact as a youngster would not become known until he led Yavapai College to the Junior College World Series in 1985. Slowly but surely, Schilling was becoming a top pitching prospect.
In the 1986 amateur draft, the Boston Red Sox selected Schilling in the second round. To Curt's dismay, the Red Sox organization traded him to the Baltimore Orioles in 1988. Baltimore fans got their first glimpse of Schilling at the end of the 1988 season when he made four starts. While many did not know what to expect of the highly-touted prospect, it did not take fans long to make initial judgments as Schilling posted an atrocious 9.82 ERA and only managed to last 14.2 innings in his four appearances. As a result of the problems in the starting rotation, Schilling tried out for a relief role. Things faired much better for young Curt; in his last season with Baltimore (1990), he appeared in 35 games and put up a much-improved 2.54 ERA. Schilling went on to demonstrate that he can be effective from the pen when he appeared in a career-high of 56 games with Houston in 1991 and posted a 3.81 ERA.
Schilling's value as an athlete began to soar, and the Philadelphia Phillies purchased his contract prior to the 1992 season in hope that Curt would be able to bring some stability to their rotation. His presence as a team leader was recognized in Philadelphia when he played a vital role in leading the team to the World Series in 1993. During that year Curt put up an astonishing 4.02 ERA while becoming a 16-game winner. His postseason performance was considered stellar as well, and Phillies fans soon realized that he was the true ace of the staff. His numbers only continued to fascinate the Philadelphia organization. In the 1997 season Schilling compiled a 2.97 ERA, won 17 games, struck out 319 batters, and made his first all-star appearance. He led the league in strikeouts in both 1997 and 1998, and it was evident that Curt was starting to gain recognition as one of the game's greatest pitchers. Sadly, after he got in a dispute with the Phillies organization during the 2000 season, he requested that he be traded to a winning ball club.
The Arizona Diamonds acquired Schilling, and it turned out that Curt was exactly what the team needed. Following Randy Johnson in the Diamondbacks' rotation, Johnson and Schilling became one of the most feared one-two punches in the game. The Diamondbacks went on to win the World Series in 2001, and not surprisingly Schilling and Johnson shared the World Series Most Valuable Player Honors. In addition, Johnson was named the National League Cy Young Award winner, and Schilling was right behind him finishing second in the voting.
Unfortunate for Diamondbacks fans, Schilling was traded to the Boston Red Sox in November of 2003. The team needed an ace to combat the New York Yankees, and the Boston organization felt that Schilling was the missing ingredient. Curt proved he was the answer when he helped beat the Yankees in 2004 American League Championship Series. Schilling pitched in game six of that series and defeated the Yankees despite suffering from an ankle injury. He helped lead Boston to its first World Series victory since 1918 which ended the dreaded Curse of the Bambino. Many will remember Schilling for the bloody sock which came as a result of the treatment that he received to nurse his wounded ankle. What's unique about Schilling is the fact that he has never won a Cy Young even though he has finished in the top five in voting on four separate occasions. Schilling does have two World Series rings, however, and will most likely find himself a spot in the Hall of Fame after he retires.
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