Pete Alexander vs Ray Brown: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Ray Brown played ?–1945 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 Ray Brown (?–1945) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Ray Brown finished with 123 wins and 726 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Ray Brown's 3.21.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Ray Brown's 123.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Ray Brown's 726.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Ray Brown's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Ray Brown's 1,511.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Ray Brown's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Ray Brown's 30,490.
Pete Alexander
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 | Pete Alexander | Ray Brown |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 123 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 47 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 224 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 163 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 142 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 17 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 15 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 726 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 430 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 1,437 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 40 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 1,511.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 3.21 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 4.32 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.56 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Ray Brown 75,743 to 30,490 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,607 PIV per season to 1,794, across 21 seasons to 17. 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)
Ray Brown — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Ray Brown owns 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 Ray Brown careers compare
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) was finished before Ray Brown (?–1945) arrived, so they never shared a league. Pete Alexander has the far longer record, 696 games against 224 across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Ray Brown are strikeouts per nine (4.32 to 3.81). By rate, Pete Alexander struck out 3.81 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; Ray Brown struck out 4.32 and walked 2.56. Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games), and Ray Brown was mainly a starter (163 starts in 224 games). The complete-game row, 437 against 142, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Pete Alexander vs Ray Brown: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Ray Brown?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Ray Brown in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Ray Brown's 3.21.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Ray Brown's 123.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Ray Brown's 726.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Ray Brown's 1.24.