Pete Alexander vs Mordecai Brown: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; Mordecai Brown played 1903–1916 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 Mordecai Brown (1903–1916) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Mordecai Brown finished with 239 wins and 1,375 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Pete Alexander's 2.56.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Mordecai Brown's 239.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Mordecai Brown's 3,172.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Mordecai Brown's 55.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Mordecai Brown's 31,501.
Pete Alexander
Mordecai Brown
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, and the 1910s and the 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Mordecai Brown |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 239 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 130 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 481 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 332 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 271 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 55 |
| Saves | 32 | Leads: 49 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 1,375 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 673 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 2,708 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 43 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 3,172.1 |
| ERA | 2.56 | Leads: 2.06 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.07 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 3.90 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 1.91 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Mordecai Brown 75,743 to 31,501 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,607 PIV per season to 2,100, across 21 seasons to 15. 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).
Pete Alexander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Mordecai Brown — 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 Mordecai Brown 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
How the Pete Alexander and Mordecai Brown careers compare
Pete Alexander and Mordecai Brown were active at the same time between 1911 and 1916. With 696 games against 481 across 21 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Mordecai Brown comes out ahead, it is in saves (49 to 32), ERA (2.06 to 2.56), and WHIP (1.07 to 1.12). The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 3.90 and 1.91 for Mordecai Brown. Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games), while Mordecai Brown split time between starting and relief (332 starts in 481 games). In WHIP, Mordecai Brown's 1.07 beats Pete Alexander's 1.12.
Pete Alexander vs Mordecai Brown: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Mordecai Brown?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Mordecai Brown in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Pete Alexander's 2.56.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Mordecai Brown's 239.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.