The Baseball Writers' Association of America did not select any player to enter the Hall of Fame in 2021

In the list of candidates were players with brilliant performances and important records.

To be immortalized, a minimum percentage of 75% of the votes must be obtained. The former New York Yankees closer, Panamanian Mariano Rivera, was unanimously elected in 2019. Last year, Derek Jeter, former Yankees shortstop, was overwhelmingly designated, but he lacked only one vote for unanimity.

This time Curt Schilling (71.1%) came very close, a pitcher with great control who won the World Series in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in 2004 and 2007 with the Boston Red Sox. He was selected to the All-Star Game six times, shared the 2001 MVP with Randy Johnson. He completed 216 wins and 3,116 strikeouts. When he learned the result, he reacted sharply and in a letter he asked to be excluded from the voting next year, in what will be his last chance to be inducted. Schilling was harmed by his racist comments and support for the assault on the United States Capitol. Integrity, sportsmanship, and character are principles and clauses included in the voting for the hall of immortals, which is one more reason for the voters to punish Schilling.

Rogers Clemens (61.6%), also a pitcher known as Rocket for the intimidating speed of his throws, did not enter. He went to the All-Star Game eleven times, won the Cy Young Award seven times, won two World Series with the Yankees, and was named MVP twice.

Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire (c), and Barry Bonds, all under suspicion of using steroids.

Dominican Sammy Sosa (17%) also did not enter, going from glory to oblivion. He went from extreme poverty to having it all. He had great talent, charisma, favorable newspaper headlines, and full stadiums to watch him play. His most brilliant period was in 1998 when he engaged in a home run battle with Mark McGwire that paralyzed the baseball world. Everything started to crumble like a house of cards when on June 3, 2003, in a match between the Cubs and the Tampa Bay Rays, his bat broke and it was discovered that it was filled with cork, which was illegal. He was expelled and suspended for eight games. His public lost faith and started yelling insults at him on the field. The issue became even more complicated when he was called to testify in an investigation into the use of banned substances. Sosa pleaded not guilty. All this controversy, in the end, has cost him entry into Cooperstown.

The case of Barry Bonds (61.8%) is also regrettable. He wanted to elevate his level of competitiveness and got involved with the company Balco - later involved in a scandal for developing a synthetic steroid - to improve performance, even though he already had good numbers that could have been enough to be elected to the Hall of Fame.

The United States Congress investigated many baseball players. José Canseco was found guilty, McGwire refused to testify, Palmeiro, Sosa, and Bonds pleaded not guilty but were marked by the so-called 'Steroids Era'.

Many writers, especially from the old guard, with conservative views, disapproved of those actions and publicly expressed that they would not vote for suspected dopers.

When Sosa, Bonds, and Clemens first appeared on the ballots, they had very few votes, but over the years and with the modification of the number of qualified journalists to vote, they gained votes. But the reason they have not been elected until now is that they were involved in the use of prohibited substances to improve their athletic performance.

Contemporary writers are including them in their choices, gradually increasing their percentages.

We have to wait until 2022 when they will have their last opportunity to be inducted. We will see what happens. (O)