Pete Alexander vs Hilton Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Hilton Smith played ?–1948 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 Hilton Smith (?–1948) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Hilton Smith finished with 71 wins and 628 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 Hilton Smith's 2.93.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Hilton Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hilton Smith, with 1.11 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Hilton Smith's 975.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Hilton Smith's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Hilton Smith's 37,558.
Pete Alexander
Hilton Smith
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Hilton Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 71 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 38 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 170 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 104 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 63 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 8 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 16 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 628 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 198 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 883 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 19 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 975.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 2.93 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 5.79 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 1.83 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Hilton Smith 75,743 to 37,558 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,607 PIV per season to 2,504, across 21 seasons to 15. 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)
Hilton Smith — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Hilton Smith owns WHIP 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 Hilton Smith careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Pete Alexander's ended in 1930, and Hilton Smith debuted in 1948. The table compares 696 games of Pete Alexander with 170 of Hilton Smith across 21 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Hilton Smith are WHIP (1.11 to 1.12) and strikeouts per nine (5.79 to 3.81). By rate, Pete Alexander struck out 3.81 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; Hilton Smith struck out 5.79 and walked 1.83. Their roles differ: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Hilton Smith split time between starting and relief (104 starts in 170 games).
Pete Alexander vs Hilton Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Hilton Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Hilton Smith in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Hilton Smith's 2.93.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Hilton Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hilton Smith, with 1.11 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.