Mordecai Brown vs Christy Mathewson: Career Stats Comparison
Christy Mathewson has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Mordecai Brown played 1903–1916 as a pitcher; Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916 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
Mordecai Brown (1903–1916) and Christy Mathewson (1900–1916) — both came up during the 1900s, so the matchup is a direct one. Mordecai Brown compiled 239 wins and 1,375 strikeouts; Christy Mathewson put up 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Christy Mathewson's 2.13.
- Who won more games? Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Mordecai Brown's 239.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Mordecai Brown's 1.07.
- Who pitched more innings? Christy Mathewson, with 4,788 to Mordecai Brown's 3,172.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Mordecai Brown's 55.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Christy Mathewson, with 82,446 career Pitcher PIV to Mordecai Brown's 31,501.
Mordecai Brown
Christy Mathewson
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 | Mordecai Brown | Christy Mathewson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 239 | Leads: 373 |
| Losses | 130 | 188 |
| Games | 481 | Leads: 636 |
| Games Started | 332 | Leads: 552 |
| Complete Games | 271 | Leads: 435 |
| Shutouts | 55 | Leads: 79 |
| Saves | Leads: 49 | 29 |
| Strikeouts | 1,375 | Leads: 2,507 |
| Walks | 673 | 848 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,708 | 4,219 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 43 | 90 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,172 | Leads: 4,788 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.06 | 2.13 |
| WHIP | 1.07 | Leads: 1.06 |
| K/9 | 3.90 | Leads: 4.71 |
| BB/9 | 1.91 | Leads: 1.59 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christy Mathewson outpaces Mordecai Brown 82,446 to 31,501 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,580 vs 2,100 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).
Mordecai Brown — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Christy Mathewson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Christy Mathewson leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Mordecai Brown owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Christy Mathewson. PIV agrees: Christy Mathewson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Mordecai Brown vs Christy Mathewson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mordecai Brown or Christy Mathewson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Christy Mathewson leads Mordecai Brown in 10 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Christy Mathewson's 2.13.
- Who won more games?
- Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Mordecai Brown's 239.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Mordecai Brown's 1.07.