Pete Alexander vs Pud Galvin: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Pud Galvin played 1875–1892 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 Pud Galvin (1875–1892) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1870s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Pud Galvin finished with 365 wins and 1,807 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 Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Pud Galvin's 365.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Pud Galvin's 1,807.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Pud Galvin's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Pud Galvin, with 6,003.1 to Pete Alexander's 5,190.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Pud Galvin's 57.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Pud Galvin's 27,907.
Pete Alexander
Pud Galvin
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 1870s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Pud Galvin |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 365 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 310 |
| Games | 696 | Leads: 705 |
| Games Started | 599 | Leads: 688 |
| Complete Games | 437 | Leads: 646 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 57 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 1,807 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 745 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 6,405 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 121 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,190.0 | Leads: 6,003.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 2.85 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 3.81 | 2.71 |
| BB/9 | 1.65 | Leads: 1.12 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Pud Galvin 75,743 to 27,907 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,607 PIV per season to 1,642, 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)
Pud Galvin — 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 Pud Galvin owns innings pitched. 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 Pud Galvin careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Pud Galvin's ended in 1892, and Pete Alexander debuted in 1911. The two careers are close in length, 696 games for Pete Alexander and 705 for Pud Galvin across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 2.71 and 1.12 for Pud Galvin. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Pud Galvin was mainly a starter (688 starts in 705 games). In WHIP, Pete Alexander's 1.12 beats Pud Galvin's 1.19.
Pete Alexander vs Pud Galvin: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Pud Galvin?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Pud Galvin in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Pud Galvin's 365.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Pud Galvin's 1,807.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Pud Galvin's 1.19.