Charles Bender vs Joe Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Charles Bender (1903–1925) and Joe Williams (?–1932) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Charles Bender compiled 212 wins and 1,711 strikeouts; Joe Williams put up 109 wins and 1,033 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Charles Bender
Joe Williams
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 | Joe Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 212 | 109 |
| Losses | 127 | 59 |
| Games | 459 | 207 |
| Games Started | 334 | 172 |
| Complete Games | 255 | 140 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 14 |
| Saves | 34 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,711 | 1,033 |
| Walks | 712 | 339 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,645 | 1,456 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 40 | 26 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,017 | 1,517 |
| ERA | 2.46 | 2.57 |
| WHIP | 1.11 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 5.10 | 6.13 |
| BB/9 | 2.12 | 2.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Williams edges Charles Bender 44,974 to 43,118 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,142 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)
Joe Williams — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Charles Bender leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Joe Williams owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Charles Bender. Note that PIV actually grades Joe Williams ahead, which means Charles Bender's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.