Pete Alexander vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) and Eddie Plank (1901–1917) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander compiled 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Eddie Plank put up 326 wins and 2,246 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Pete Alexander
Eddie Plank
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 373 | 326 |
| Losses | 208 | 194 |
| Games | 696 | 623 |
| Games Started | 599 | 529 |
| Complete Games | 437 | 410 |
| Shutouts | 90 | 69 |
| Saves | 32 | 23 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | 2,246 |
| Walks | 951 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,868 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 164 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,190 | 4,495 |
| ERA | 2.56 | 2.35 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | 4.50 |
| BB/9 | 1.65 | 2.15 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Eddie Plank 75,743 to 51,914 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,607 vs 3,054 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Eddie Plank — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Plank leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Pete Alexander owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Plank. Note that PIV actually grades Pete Alexander ahead, which means Eddie Plank's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.