CURT SHILLING JOINS ESPN

From ESPN:

Curt Schilling Joins ESPN, to Debut Opening Night at Fenway



Former Major League Baseball pitcher Curt Schilling, a six-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion, has joined ESPN as a baseball analyst. He will contribute to ESPNBoston.com, ESPN.com, ESPN Radio and Baseball Tonight. Schilling will debut tomorrow, Sunday, April 4, during Baseball Tonight’s live coverage of Opening Night – New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox – from Fenway Park at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. He will join fellow Red Sox All-Star and current ESPN analyst Nomar Garciaparra (also in his first year with the network), John Kruk, Bobby Valentine, host Karl Ravech and reporters Tim Kurkjian and Buster Olney.



Schilling pitched for five teams over 20 Major League seasons – the Baltimore Orioles (1988-90), Houston Astros (1991), Philadelphia Phillies (1992-2000), Arizona Diamondbacks (2000-03) and Boston Red Sox (2004-07). Schilling announced his retirement in 2009, having amassed 216 career wins, 3,116 strikeouts and a 3.46 ERA.



He notched more than 20 wins three times – 2001 (22 wins, tied for MLB lead), 2002 (23) and 2004 (21, led Majors), finishing runner up in the National League Cy Young voting all three years. Schilling also led the Majors in strikeouts in 1997 (319) and led the National League with 300 K’s in 1998. He hurled the most complete games in the Major Leagues in 1998 (15) and the most in the N.L. in 1996 (eight) and 2001 (six).



Schilling was one of the most dominant postseason starters in baseball history, with a career 11-2 record, 120 strikeouts and a 2.23 ERA. He was named World Series MVP in 2001, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks over the New York Yankees. During that Series, Schilling recorded 26 strikeouts in 21.1 innings and a 1.69 ERA.



Schilling was the recipient of the 2001 Roberto Clemente Award, which is given to the player who “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.” He also was presented with the 2001 Branch Rickey Award, in recognition of his exceptional community service. In 1995, he earned the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, given to the player who best exemplifies character and integrity on and off the field.



The 43-year-old Schilling and his wife, Shonda, are active in raising awareness of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease) as well as malignant melanoma (of which Shonda is a survivor). Schilling writes a popular web site – www.38pitches.com – which was developed to support these initiatives, in addition to serving as a forum to communicate with fans of the Red Sox, Major League Baseball and the Computer Gaming Industry.

FROM LAURA NACHMAN