Pete Alexander vs Whitey Ford: 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; Whitey Ford played 1950–1967 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 Whitey Ford (1950–1967) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Whitey Ford finished with 236 wins and 1,956 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 Whitey Ford's 2.75.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Whitey Ford's 236.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Whitey Ford's 1,956.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Whitey Ford's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Whitey Ford's 3,170.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Whitey Ford's 45.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Whitey Ford's 47,870.
Pete Alexander
Whitey Ford
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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Whitey Ford |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 236 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 106 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 498 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 438 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 156 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 45 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 10 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 1,956 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 1,086 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 2,766 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 228 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 3,170.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 2.75 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 5.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 3.08 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Whitey Ford 75,743 to 47,870 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,607 PIV per season to 2,992, across 21 seasons to 16. 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)
Whitey Ford — 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 Whitey Ford 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 Whitey Ford careers compare
No season is shared: Pete Alexander played 1911–1930, Whitey Ford 1950–1967. With 696 games against 498 across 21 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Whitey Ford comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (5.55 to 3.81). The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 5.55 and 3.08 for Whitey Ford. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Whitey Ford was mainly a starter (438 starts in 498 games). In WHIP, Pete Alexander's 1.12 beats Whitey Ford's 1.22.
Pete Alexander vs Whitey Ford: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Whitey Ford?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Whitey Ford in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Whitey Ford's 2.75.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Whitey Ford's 236.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Whitey Ford's 1,956.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Whitey Ford's 1.22.