Pete Alexander vs Ed Walsh: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; Ed Walsh played 1904–1917 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 Ed Walsh (1904–1917) — they debuted in the 1910s and the 1900s respectively and share 7 seasons. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Ed Walsh finished with 195 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Pete Alexander, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Pete Alexander's 2.56.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Ed Walsh's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.
- How many innings did each pitch? Pete Alexander 5,190.0, Ed Walsh 2,964.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Ed Walsh's 57.
Pete Alexander
Ed Walsh
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 | Ed Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 195 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 126 |
| Games not scored | 696 | 430 |
| Games Started not scored | 599 | 315 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 250 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 57 |
| Saves not scored | 32 | 35 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 617 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 2,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,190.0 | 2,964.1 |
| ERA | 2.56 | Leads: 1.82 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 5.27 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 1.87 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander leads Ed Walsh 75,743 to 62,631 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Pete Alexander played 20 seasons to Ed Walsh's 14, while Ed Walsh carries the higher per-season figure (4,474 to 3,787). 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)
Ed Walsh — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Pete Alexander leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Ed Walsh leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts per nine. 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 Ed Walsh careers compare
Pete Alexander and Ed Walsh were active at the same time between 1911 and 1917. The table compares 696 games of Pete Alexander with 430 of Ed Walsh across 20 and 14 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Ed Walsh's edges on the table are ERA (1.82 to 2.56), WHIP (1.00 to 1.12), and strikeouts per nine (5.27 to 3.81). By rate, Pete Alexander struck out 3.81 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; Ed Walsh struck out 5.27 and walked 1.87. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Ed Walsh was mainly a starter (315 starts in 430 games).
Pete Alexander vs Ed Walsh: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Ed Walsh?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Ed Walsh in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Pete Alexander's 2.56.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Ed Walsh's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.