Babe Adams vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Plank has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Babe Adams played 1906–1926 as a pitcher; Eddie Plank played 1901–1917 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Babe Adams (1906–1926) and Eddie Plank (1901–1917) — both came up during the 1900s, so the matchup is a direct one. Babe Adams compiled 194 wins and 1,036 strikeouts; Eddie Plank put up 326 wins and 2,246 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Babe Adams's 2.76.
- Who won more games? Eddie Plank, with 326 to Babe Adams's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Babe Adams's 1,036.
- Who had the better WHIP? Babe Adams, with 1.09 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Eddie Plank, with 4,495 to Babe Adams's 2,995.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eddie Plank, with 69 to Babe Adams's 44.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Eddie Plank, with 51,914 career Pitcher PIV to Babe Adams's 41,399.
Babe Adams
Eddie Plank
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Babe Adams | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 326 |
| Losses | 140 | 194 |
| Games | 482 | Leads: 623 |
| Games Started | 355 | Leads: 529 |
| Complete Games | 206 | Leads: 410 |
| Shutouts | 44 | Leads: 69 |
| Saves | 15 | Leads: 23 |
| Strikeouts | 1,036 | Leads: 2,246 |
| Walks | 430 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,841 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 68 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,995 | Leads: 4,495 |
| ERA | 2.76 | Leads: 2.35 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 3.11 | Leads: 4.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.29 | 2.15 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Plank leads Babe Adams 51,914 to 41,399 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,054 vs 2,179 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Babe Adams — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Eddie Plank — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Plank leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Babe Adams owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Plank. PIV agrees: Eddie Plank grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Babe Adams vs Eddie Plank: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Babe Adams or Eddie Plank?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Plank leads Babe Adams in 10 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Babe Adams's 2.76.
- Who won more games?
- Eddie Plank, with 326 to Babe Adams's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Babe Adams's 1,036.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Babe Adams, with 1.09 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.