Charles Bender vs Rube Waddell: Career Stats Comparison
Rube Waddell has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Charles Bender played 1903–1925 as a pitcher; Rube Waddell played 1897–1910 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 Rube Waddell (1897–1910) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Charles Bender compiled 212 wins and 1,711 strikeouts; Rube Waddell put up 193 wins and 2,316 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Charles Bender's 2.46.
- Who won more games? Charles Bender, with 212 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Charles Bender's 1,711.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Charles Bender's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Charles Bender, with 3,017 to Rube Waddell's 2,961.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rube Waddell, with 50 to Charles Bender's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rube Waddell, with 69,450 career Pitcher PIV to Charles Bender's 43,118.
Charles Bender
Rube Waddell
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 | Rube Waddell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 212 | 193 |
| Losses | 127 | 143 |
| Games | Leads: 459 | 407 |
| Games Started | 334 | Leads: 340 |
| Complete Games | 255 | Leads: 261 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 50 |
| Saves | Leads: 34 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,711 | Leads: 2,316 |
| Walks | 712 | 803 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,645 | 2,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 40 | 37 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,017 | 2,961 |
| ERA | 2.46 | Leads: 2.16 |
| WHIP | 1.11 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 5.10 | Leads: 7.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.12 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rube Waddell outpaces Charles Bender 69,450 to 43,118 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,961 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)
Rube Waddell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rube Waddell leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Charles Bender owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rube Waddell. PIV agrees: Rube Waddell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Charles Bender vs Rube Waddell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Charles Bender or Rube Waddell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rube Waddell leads Charles Bender in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Charles Bender's 2.46.
- Who won more games?
- Charles Bender, with 212 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Charles Bender's 1,711.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Charles Bender's 1.11.