Pete Alexander vs Charles Bender: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; Charles Bender played 1903–1925 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
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) and Charles Bender (1903–1925) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander compiled 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Charles Bender put up 212 wins and 1,711 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Charles Bender, with 2.46 to Pete Alexander's 2.56.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Charles Bender's 212.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Charles Bender's 1,711.
- Who had the better WHIP? Charles Bender, with 1.11 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190 to Charles Bender's 3,017.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Charles Bender's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Charles Bender's 43,118.
Pete Alexander
Charles Bender
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 | Pete Alexander | Charles Bender |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 212 |
| Losses | 208 | 127 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 459 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 334 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 255 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 40 |
| Saves | 32 | Leads: 34 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 1,711 |
| Walks | 951 | 712 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,868 | 2,645 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 164 | 40 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190 | 3,017 |
| ERA | 2.56 | Leads: 2.46 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 5.10 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.12 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Charles Bender 75,743 to 43,118 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,607 vs 2,695 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).
Pete Alexander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Charles Bender — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Charles Bender owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Alexander. PIV agrees: Pete Alexander grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Pete Alexander vs Charles Bender: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Charles Bender?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Charles Bender in 8 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Charles Bender, with 2.46 to Pete Alexander's 2.56.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Charles Bender's 212.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Charles Bender's 1,711.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Charles Bender, with 1.11 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.