Pete Alexander vs Tim Keefe: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Tim Keefe played 1880–1893 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 Tim Keefe (1880–1893) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1880s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Tim Keefe finished with 342 wins and 2,564 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 Tim Keefe's 2.63.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Tim Keefe's 342.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Tim Keefe's 5,049.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Tim Keefe's 39.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Keefe's 58,200.
Pete Alexander
Tim Keefe
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 1880s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Tim Keefe |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 342 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 225 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 600 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 594 |
| Complete Games | 437 | Leads: 554 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 39 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 2,564 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 1,233 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 4,438 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 75 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 5,049.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 2.63 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 4.57 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.20 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander leads Tim Keefe 75,743 to 58,200 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Pete Alexander played 21 seasons to Tim Keefe's 15, while Tim Keefe carries the higher per-season figure (3,880 to 3,607). 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)
Tim Keefe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Tim Keefe owns strikeouts 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 Tim Keefe careers compare
No season is shared: Tim Keefe played 1880–1893, Pete Alexander 1911–1930. The two careers are close in length, 696 games for Pete Alexander and 600 for Tim Keefe across 21 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Tim Keefe are complete games (554 to 437), strikeouts (2,564 to 2,198), and strikeouts per nine (4.57 to 3.81). By rate, Pete Alexander struck out 3.81 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; Tim Keefe struck out 4.57 and walked 2.20. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Tim Keefe was mainly a starter (594 starts in 600 games).
Pete Alexander vs Tim Keefe: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Tim Keefe?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Tim Keefe in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Tim Keefe's 2.63.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Tim Keefe's 342.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.12.