Pete Alexander vs Joe Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Joe Williams played ?–1932 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 Joe Williams (?–1932) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Joe Williams finished with 109 wins and 1,033 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 Joe Williams's 2.57.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Joe Williams's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Joe Williams's 1,517.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Joe Williams's 14.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Joe Williams's 44,974.
Pete Alexander
Joe Williams
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 | Joe Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 109 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 59 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 207 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 172 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 140 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 14 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 1,033 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 339 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 1,456 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 26 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 1,517.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 2.57 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 6.13 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Joe Williams 75,743 to 44,974 — driven by per-season impact — 3,607 PIV per season to 2,142 — rather than by longevity, since Pete Alexander played 21 seasons to Joe Williams's 21. 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)
Joe Williams — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Joe Williams owns 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 Joe Williams careers compare
No season is shared: Pete Alexander played 1911–1930, Joe Williams ?–1932. The table compares 696 games of Pete Alexander with 207 of Joe Williams across 21 and 21 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Joe Williams comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (6.13 to 3.81). The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 6.13 and 2.01 for Joe Williams. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Joe Williams was mainly a starter (172 starts in 207 games). Complete games (437 to 140) show how differently the two eras used starters.
Pete Alexander vs Joe Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Joe Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Joe Williams in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Joe Williams's 2.57.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Joe Williams's 1.18.