Pete Alexander vs Rube Waddell: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Rube Waddell played 1897–1910 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 Rube Waddell (1897–1910) — 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; Rube Waddell finished with 193 wins and 2,316 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Pete Alexander's 2.56.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Rube Waddell's 2,961.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Rube Waddell's 50.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Rube Waddell's 69,450.
Pete Alexander
Rube Waddell
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 | Rube Waddell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 193 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 143 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 407 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 340 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 261 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 50 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 2,316 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 803 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 2,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 37 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 2,961.1 |
| ERA | 2.56 | Leads: 2.16 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 7.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander leads Rube Waddell 75,743 to 69,450 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Pete Alexander played 21 seasons to Rube Waddell's 14, while Rube Waddell carries the higher per-season figure (4,961 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)
Rube Waddell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rube Waddell 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 Rube Waddell. Note that PIV actually grades Pete Alexander ahead, which means Rube Waddell's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Alexander and Rube Waddell careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Rube Waddell's ended in 1910, and Pete Alexander debuted in 1911. The table compares 696 games of Pete Alexander with 407 of Rube Waddell across 21 and 14 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Rube Waddell comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts (2,316 to 2,198), ERA (2.16 to 2.56), and WHIP (1.10 to 1.12). By rate, Pete Alexander struck out 3.81 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; Rube Waddell struck out 7.04 and walked 2.44. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Rube Waddell was mainly a starter (340 starts in 407 games).
Pete Alexander vs Rube Waddell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Rube Waddell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Rube Waddell in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Pete Alexander's 2.56.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.