Charles Bender vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
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.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Charles Bender | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 212 | 326 |
| Losses | 127 | 194 |
| Games | 459 | 623 |
| Games Started | 334 | 529 |
| Complete Games | 255 | 410 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 69 |
| Saves | 34 | 23 |
| Strikeouts | 1,711 | 2,246 |
| Walks | 712 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,645 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 40 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,017 | 4,495 |
| ERA | 2.46 | 2.35 |
| WHIP | 1.11 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 5.10 | 4.50 |
| BB/9 | 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.