Charles Bender vs Mordecai Brown: Career Stats Comparison
Mordecai Brown has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Charles Bender played 1903–1925 as a pitcher; Mordecai Brown played 1903–1916 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
Charles Bender (1903–1925) and Mordecai Brown (1903–1916) — both came up during the 1900s, so the matchup is a direct one. Charles Bender compiled 212 wins and 1,711 strikeouts; Mordecai Brown put up 239 wins and 1,375 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Charles Bender's 2.46.
- Who won more games? Mordecai Brown, with 239 to Charles Bender's 212.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Charles Bender, with 1,711 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Charles Bender's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Mordecai Brown, with 3,172 to Charles Bender's 3,017.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mordecai Brown, with 55 to Charles Bender's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Charles Bender, with 43,118 career Pitcher PIV to Mordecai Brown's 31,501.
Charles Bender
Mordecai Brown
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Charles Bender | Mordecai Brown |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 212 | Leads: 239 |
| Losses | 127 | 130 |
| Games | 459 | Leads: 481 |
| Games Started | Leads: 334 | 332 |
| Complete Games | 255 | Leads: 271 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 55 |
| Saves | 34 | Leads: 49 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,711 | 1,375 |
| Walks | 712 | 673 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,645 | 2,708 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 40 | 43 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,017 | Leads: 3,172 |
| ERA | 2.46 | Leads: 2.06 |
| WHIP | 1.11 | Leads: 1.07 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.10 | 3.90 |
| BB/9 | 2.12 | Leads: 1.91 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Charles Bender outpaces Mordecai Brown 43,118 to 31,501 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,695 vs 2,100 per year). 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).
Charles Bender — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Mordecai Brown — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mordecai Brown leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Charles Bender owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mordecai Brown. Note that PIV actually grades Charles Bender ahead, which means Mordecai Brown's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Charles Bender vs Mordecai Brown: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Charles Bender or Mordecai Brown?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mordecai Brown leads Charles Bender in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Charles Bender's 2.46.
- Who won more games?
- Mordecai Brown, with 239 to Charles Bender's 212.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Charles Bender, with 1,711 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Charles Bender's 1.11.