Pete Alexander vs Willie Foster: 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; Willie Foster played ?–1937 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 Willie Foster (?–1937) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Willie Foster finished with 125 wins and 1,062 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 Willie Foster's 2.66.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Willie Foster's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Willie Foster's 1,062.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Willie Foster's 1.15.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Willie Foster's 1,665.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Willie Foster's 34.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Willie Foster's 41,672.
Pete Alexander
Willie Foster
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 | Willie Foster |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 125 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 60 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 262 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 185 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 142 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 34 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 1,062 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 522 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 1,397 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 41 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 1,665.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 2.66 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.15 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 5.74 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Willie Foster 75,743 to 41,672 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,607 PIV per season to 2,193, across 21 seasons to 19. 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)
Willie Foster — 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 Willie Foster 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 Willie Foster careers compare
No season is shared: Pete Alexander played 1911–1930, Willie Foster ?–1937. The table compares 696 games of Pete Alexander with 262 of Willie Foster across 21 and 19 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Willie Foster comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (5.74 to 3.81). By rate, Pete Alexander struck out 3.81 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; Willie Foster struck out 5.74 and walked 2.82. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Willie Foster was mainly a starter (185 starts in 262 games). The complete-game row, 437 against 142, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Pete Alexander vs Willie Foster: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Willie Foster?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Willie Foster in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Willie Foster's 2.66.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Willie Foster's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Willie Foster's 1,062.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Willie Foster's 1.15.