Pete Alexander vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander and Eddie Plank are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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) — they debuted in the 1910s and the 1900s respectively and share 7 seasons. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Eddie Plank finished with 326 wins and 2,246 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- 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.
- How many innings did each pitch? Pete Alexander 5,190.0, Eddie Plank 4,495.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Eddie Plank's 69.
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 326 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 194 |
| Games not scored | 696 | 623 |
| Games Started not scored | 599 | 529 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 410 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 69 |
| Saves not scored | 32 | 23 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 2,246 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,190.0 | 4,495.2 |
| 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 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,787 PIV per season to 3,054, across 20 seasons to 17. 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
Pete Alexander and Eddie Plank split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Pete Alexander higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Alexander and Eddie Plank careers compare
From 1911 through 1917, Pete Alexander and Eddie Plank were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 696 games for Pete Alexander and 623 for Eddie Plank across 20 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Eddie Plank's edges on the table are strikeouts (2,246 to 2,198), ERA (2.35 to 2.56), and WHIP (1.12 to 1.12). The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 4.50 and 2.15 for Eddie Plank. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Eddie Plank was mainly a starter (529 starts in 623 games).
Pete Alexander vs Eddie Plank: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Eddie Plank?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- 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.