Pete Alexander vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; Eddie Plank played 1901–1917 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 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.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Pete Alexander's 2.56.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Eddie Plank's 326.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eddie Plank, with 2,246 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 to Eddie Plank's 4,495.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Eddie Plank's 69.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Eddie Plank's 51,914.
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. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 326 |
| Losses | 208 | 194 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 623 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 529 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 410 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 69 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 23 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 2,246 |
| Walks | 951 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,868 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 164 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190 | 4,495 |
| ERA | 2.56 | Leads: 2.35 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 4.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 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.
Related Matchups
Pete Alexander vs Eddie Plank: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Eddie Plank?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Eddie Plank in 8 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Pete Alexander's 2.56.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Eddie Plank's 326.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.12.