Charles Bender vs Kid Nichols: Career Stats Comparison
Kid Nichols has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Charles Bender played 1903–1925 as a pitcher; Kid Nichols played 1890–1906 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 Kid Nichols (1890–1906) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Charles Bender finished with 212 wins and 1,711 strikeouts; Kid Nichols finished with 362 wins and 1,881 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Charles Bender, with 2.46 to Kid Nichols's 2.96.
- Who won more games? Kid Nichols, with 362 to Charles Bender's 212.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Kid Nichols, with 1,881 to Charles Bender's 1,711.
- Who had the better WHIP? Charles Bender, with 1.11 to Kid Nichols's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Kid Nichols, with 5,067.1 to Charles Bender's 3,017.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Kid Nichols, with 48 to Charles Bender's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Kid Nichols, with 64,461 career Pitcher PIV to Charles Bender's 43,118.
Charles Bender
Kid Nichols
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 1900s and the 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Charles Bender | Kid Nichols |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 212 | Leads: 362 |
| Losses not scored | 127 | 208 |
| Games | 459 | Leads: 621 |
| Games Started | 334 | Leads: 562 |
| Complete Games | 255 | Leads: 532 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 48 |
| Saves | Leads: 34 | 16 |
| Strikeouts | 1,711 | Leads: 1,881 |
| Walks not scored | 712 | 1,272 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,645 | 4,929 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 40 | 156 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,017.0 | Leads: 5,067.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.46 | 2.96 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.10 | 3.34 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.12 | 2.26 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kid Nichols outpaces Charles Bender 64,461 to 43,118 — driven by per-season impact — 4,029 PIV per season to 2,695 — rather than by longevity, since Kid Nichols played 16 seasons to Charles Bender's 16. 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).
Charles Bender — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Kid Nichols — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Kid Nichols leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Charles Bender owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kid Nichols. PIV agrees: Kid Nichols grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Charles Bender and Kid Nichols careers compare
From 1903 through 1906, Charles Bender and Kid Nichols were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 459 games for Charles Bender and 621 for Kid Nichols across 16 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Charles Bender struck out 5.10 and walked 2.12 per nine innings; Kid Nichols struck out 3.34 and walked 2.26. Charles Bender was mainly a starter (334 starts in 459 games), and Kid Nichols was mainly a starter (562 starts in 621 games). Charles Bender allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.11 WHIP to Kid Nichols's 1.22.
Charles Bender vs Kid Nichols: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Charles Bender or Kid Nichols?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Kid Nichols leads Charles Bender in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Charles Bender, with 2.46 to Kid Nichols's 2.96.
- Who won more games?
- Kid Nichols, with 362 to Charles Bender's 212.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Kid Nichols, with 1,881 to Charles Bender's 1,711.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Charles Bender, with 1.11 to Kid Nichols's 1.22.