Charles Bender vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Plank has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Charles Bender played 1903–1925 as a pitcher; Eddie Plank played 1901–1917 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
Charles Bender (1903–1925) and Eddie Plank (1901–1917) — both came up during the 1900s, so the matchup is a direct one. Charles Bender compiled 212 wins and 1,711 strikeouts; Eddie Plank put up 326 wins and 2,246 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Charles Bender's 2.46.
- Who won more games? Eddie Plank, with 326 to Charles Bender's 212.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Charles Bender's 1,711.
- Who had the better WHIP? Charles Bender, with 1.11 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Eddie Plank, with 4,495 to Charles Bender's 3,017.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eddie Plank, with 69 to Charles Bender's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Eddie Plank, with 51,914 career Pitcher PIV to Charles Bender's 43,118.
Charles Bender
Eddie Plank
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 | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 212 | Leads: 326 |
| Losses | 127 | 194 |
| Games | 459 | Leads: 623 |
| Games Started | 334 | Leads: 529 |
| Complete Games | 255 | Leads: 410 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 69 |
| Saves | Leads: 34 | 23 |
| Strikeouts | 1,711 | Leads: 2,246 |
| Walks | 712 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,645 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 40 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,017 | Leads: 4,495 |
| ERA | 2.46 | Leads: 2.35 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.10 | 4.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.12 | 2.15 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Plank leads Charles Bender 51,914 to 43,118 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,054 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)
Eddie Plank — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Plank leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Charles Bender owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Plank. PIV agrees: Eddie Plank grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Charles Bender vs Eddie Plank: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Charles Bender or Eddie Plank?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Plank leads Charles Bender in 8 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Charles Bender's 2.46.
- Who won more games?
- Eddie Plank, with 326 to Charles Bender's 212.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Charles Bender's 1,711.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Charles Bender, with 1.11 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.