Charles Bender vs Ed Walsh: Career Stats Comparison
Ed Walsh has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Charles Bender played 1903–1925 as a pitcher; Ed Walsh played 1904–1917 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 Ed Walsh (1904–1917) — both debuted in the 1900s. Charles Bender finished with 212 wins and 1,711 strikeouts; Ed Walsh finished with 195 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Ed Walsh, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Charles Bender's 2.46.
- Who won more games? Charles Bender, with 212 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Ed Walsh, with 1,736 to Charles Bender's 1,711.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Charles Bender's 1.11.
- How many innings did each pitch? Charles Bender 3,017.0, Ed Walsh 2,964.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Ed Walsh, with 57 to Charles Bender's 40.
Charles Bender
Ed Walsh
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Charles Bender | Ed Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 212 | 195 |
| Losses not scored | 127 | 126 |
| Games not scored | 459 | 430 |
| Games Started not scored | 334 | 315 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 250 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 57 |
| Saves not scored | 34 | 35 |
| Strikeouts | 1,711 | Leads: 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 712 | 617 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,645 | 2,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 40 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,017.0 | 2,964.1 |
| ERA | 2.46 | Leads: 1.82 |
| WHIP | 1.11 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 5.10 | Leads: 5.27 |
| BB/9 | 2.12 | Leads: 1.87 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ed Walsh outpaces Charles Bender 62,631 to 43,118 — driven by per-season impact — 4,474 PIV per season to 2,695 — rather than by longevity, since Ed Walsh played 14 seasons to Charles Bender's 16. 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)
Ed Walsh — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Ed Walsh leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and others. Charles Bender leads 2: wins and complete games. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ed Walsh. PIV agrees: Ed Walsh 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 Ed Walsh careers compare
Charles Bender and Ed Walsh were active at the same time between 1904 and 1917. With 459 games against 430 across 16 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Charles Bender comes out ahead, it is in wins (212 to 195) and complete games (255 to 250). The per-nine rows read 5.10 strikeouts and 2.12 walks for Charles Bender, 5.27 and 1.87 for Ed Walsh. Charles Bender was mainly a starter (334 starts in 459 games), and Ed Walsh was mainly a starter (315 starts in 430 games). Ed Walsh allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.00 WHIP to Charles Bender's 1.11.
Charles Bender vs Ed Walsh: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Charles Bender or Ed Walsh?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ed Walsh leads Charles Bender in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Charles Bender's 2.46.
- Who won more games?
- Charles Bender, with 212 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Ed Walsh, with 1,736 to Charles Bender's 1,711.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Charles Bender's 1.11.