Charles Bender vs Lefty Grove: Career Stats Comparison
Charles Bender (1903–1925) and Lefty Grove (1925–1941) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Charles Bender compiled 212 wins and 1,711 strikeouts; Lefty Grove put up 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Charles Bender
Lefty Grove
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Charles Bender | Lefty Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 212 | 300 |
| Losses | 127 | 141 |
| Games | 459 | 616 |
| Games Started | 334 | 457 |
| Complete Games | 255 | 298 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 35 |
| Saves | 34 | 55 |
| Strikeouts | 1,711 | 2,266 |
| Walks | 712 | 1,187 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,645 | 3,849 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 40 | 162 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,017 | 3,940 |
| ERA | 2.46 | 3.06 |
| WHIP | 1.11 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | 5.10 | 5.18 |
| BB/9 | 2.12 | 2.71 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Charles Bender 81,321 to 43,118 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,784 vs 2,695 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)
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lefty Grove leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Charles Bender owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lefty Grove. PIV agrees: Lefty Grove grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.