"I've Learned that You Should Never Hide Your Faith”—Curt Schilling, Boston Red Sox Pitcher and Christian

Marvin Olasky / Aimee Herd reporting : Mar 17, 2005
Townhall.com

Prior to testifying before Congress regarding the use of steroids in baseball, Boston’s veteran pitcher Curt Schilling told Townhall's Marvin Olasky he’s not keeping his faith under wraps anymore. Lamenting that he wasted 7 years where he could’ve been more verbal in his Christian witness, Schilling says he’s learned, “ . . . that you should never hide your faith.”

One night in 1997, while driving home from the ballpark, Schilling was hounded by thoughts that he, though successful in baseball, had no real aim or purpose in his life. He found himself saying the Lord’s prayer, later noticing that his outlook began to change from that point on. On one occasion, Schilling was miraculously delivered from an addiction to chewing tobacco. Having tried many other times to quit, he finally prayed about it, and the next day realized his craving was gone. “I seriously prayed hard for assistance to stop,” said the ball player. “One night, I said a prayer before going to bed, and the next day, at four in the afternoon, I realized I hadn't dipped all day. You need to understand that on all the other days, first thing in the morning, I'd have a dip. It was as common as putting on my pants. So at 4 p.m., when I realized I had prayed and hadn't dipped all day, I had chills."

Helping to keep him headed in the right direction during the times he’s away from home, Schilling attends “Baseball Chapel” services, and does on-line Bible studies as well as regularly reading the Word. Last fall, during the World Series, Schilling was suffering from a torn ankle tendon which had been experimentally sutured together. He was called on twice to pitch in spite of his condition, each time asking the Lord for strength-not to win but just to compete-against seemingly impossible odds, and both times he shut down the other team.