ESPN Fires Former Red Sox Ace Curt Schilling

ESPN has fired former Boston Red Sox ace Curt Schilling after his latest controversial social media post.

The baseball analyst posted an image on Facebook earlier this week, showing his opposition to transgender people using the bathroom that fits their gender identity.

Schilling also commented that "a man is a man no matter what they call themselves."

ESPN announced Wednesday it had cut ties with the pitcher.

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"ESPN is an inclusive company," it said in a statement. "Curt Schilling has been advised that his conduct was unacceptable and his employment with ESPN has been terminated."

Schilling's latest Facebook post has been deleted.

In a quote on his personal blog, Schilling said in part: "There are things I have deeply held beliefs in, things I have that are core to who I am, things I am passionate about. If you ask me about them it's likely I'll give you a passionate answer, whether you like that answer or not is completely up to you." 

He also spoke to WEEI Wednesday morning to respond to the outrage over his post. Click here for that interview.

Nearly a year ago, the former Sox pitcher was suspended by ESPN for tweeting a meme comparing extremist Muslims to Nazis.

Schilling has been no stranger to online controversy. He famously sparred with Twitter users on the topic of evolution, and he once suggested his political leanings had worked against him in Hall of Fame voting.

The pitcher's baseball career is long and distinguished. A six-time All-Star who finished second in Cy Young Award voting three times, Schilling was a dominant pitcher for much of 20 major league seasons, going 216-146 with a 3.46 ERA and a superb 4.38 strikeout-to-walk ratio - the best in baseball's modern era.

While his failed video game venture left Rhode Island reeling financially, Red Sox fans have Schilling to thank in part for the end of the team's championship drought. In Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS against the New York Yankees, despite an ankle injury, the righty walked out with a legendary "bloody sock" to pitch seven innings and allow just one run off a solo shot by Bernie Williams.

The Red Sox went on to win their first World Series in 86 years.

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