Babe Adams vs Joe Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Babe Adams has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Babe Adams played 1906–1926 as a pitcher; Joe Williams played ?–1932 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 Joe Williams (?–1932) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Babe Adams finished with 194 wins and 1,036 strikeouts; Joe Williams finished with 109 wins and 1,033 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Joe Williams, with 2.57 to Babe Adams's 2.76.
- Who won more games? Babe Adams, with 194 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Babe Adams, with 1,036 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP? Babe Adams, with 1.09 to Joe Williams's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Babe Adams, with 2,995.1 to Joe Williams's 1,517.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Babe Adams, with 44 to Joe Williams's 14.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Joe Williams, with 44,974 career Pitcher PIV to Babe Adams's 41,399.
Babe Adams
Joe Williams
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. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Babe Adams | Joe Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 194 | 109 |
| Losses not scored | 140 | 59 |
| Games | Leads: 482 | 207 |
| Games Started | Leads: 355 | 172 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 206 | 140 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 14 |
| Saves | Leads: 15 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,036 | 1,033 |
| Walks not scored | 430 | 339 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,841 | 1,456 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 68 | 26 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,995.1 | 1,517.0 |
| ERA | 2.76 | Leads: 2.57 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 3.11 | Leads: 6.13 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.29 | 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Williams edges Babe Adams 44,974 to 41,399 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Joe Williams played 21 seasons to Babe Adams's 19, while Babe Adams carries the higher per-season figure (2,179 to 2,142). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
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)
Joe Williams — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Babe Adams leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Joe Williams owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Babe Adams. Note that PIV actually grades Joe Williams ahead, which means Babe Adams's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Babe Adams and Joe Williams careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Babe Adams's ended in 1926, and Joe Williams debuted in 1932. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Babe Adams appeared in 482 games to Joe Williams's 207. Joe Williams's edges on the table are ERA (2.57 to 2.76) and strikeouts per nine (6.13 to 3.11). By rate, Babe Adams struck out 3.11 and walked 1.29 per nine innings; Joe Williams struck out 6.13 and walked 2.01. Babe Adams was mainly a starter (355 starts in 482 games), and Joe Williams was mainly a starter (172 starts in 207 games). In WHIP, Babe Adams's 1.09 beats Joe Williams's 1.18.
Babe Adams vs Joe Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Babe Adams or Joe Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Babe Adams leads Joe Williams in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe Williams, with 2.57 to Babe Adams's 2.76.
- Who won more games?
- Babe Adams, with 194 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Babe Adams, with 1,036 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Babe Adams, with 1.09 to Joe Williams's 1.18.