Pete Alexander vs Kid Nichols: 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; Kid Nichols played 1890–1906 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 Kid Nichols (1890–1906) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Kid Nichols finished with 362 wins and 1,881 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 Kid Nichols's 2.96.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Kid Nichols's 362.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Kid Nichols's 1,881.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Kid Nichols's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Kid Nichols's 5,067.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Kid Nichols's 48.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Kid Nichols's 64,461.
Pete Alexander
Kid Nichols
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 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Kid Nichols |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 362 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 208 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 621 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 562 |
| Complete Games | 437 | Leads: 532 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 48 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 16 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 1,881 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 1,272 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 4,929 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 156 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 5,067.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 2.96 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | Leads: 3.81 | 3.34 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.26 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander leads Kid Nichols 75,743 to 64,461 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Pete Alexander played 21 seasons to Kid Nichols's 16, while Kid Nichols carries the higher per-season figure (4,029 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)
Kid Nichols — 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 Kid Nichols owns no headline categories. 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 Kid Nichols careers compare
No season is shared: Kid Nichols played 1890–1906, Pete Alexander 1911–1930. The two careers are close in length, 696 games for Pete Alexander and 621 for Kid Nichols across 21 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Kid Nichols's edges on the table are complete games (532 to 437). The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 3.34 and 2.26 for Kid Nichols. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Kid Nichols was mainly a starter (562 starts in 621 games). Pete Alexander allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.12 WHIP to Kid Nichols's 1.22.
Pete Alexander vs Kid Nichols: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Kid Nichols?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Kid Nichols in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Kid Nichols's 2.96.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Kid Nichols's 362.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Kid Nichols's 1,881.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Kid Nichols's 1.22.