Mordecai Brown vs Christy Mathewson: Career Stats Comparison
Christy Mathewson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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 debuted in the 1900s. Mordecai Brown finished with 239 wins and 1,375 strikeouts; Christy Mathewson finished with 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Christy Mathewson, in 7 of the 8 scored 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.
- How many innings did each pitch? Mordecai Brown 3,172.1, Christy Mathewson 4,788.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Mordecai Brown's 55.
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. 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 | Mordecai Brown | Christy Mathewson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 239 | Leads: 373 |
| Losses not scored | 130 | 188 |
| Games not scored | 481 | 636 |
| Games Started not scored | 332 | 552 |
| Complete Games | 271 | Leads: 435 |
| Shutouts | 55 | Leads: 79 |
| Saves not scored | 49 | 29 |
| Strikeouts | 1,375 | Leads: 2,507 |
| Walks not scored | 673 | 848 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,708 | 4,219 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 43 | 90 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,172.1 | 4,788.2 |
| 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 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,850 PIV per season to 2,250, across 17 seasons to 14. 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
Christy Mathewson leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Mordecai Brown leads 1: ERA. 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
How the Mordecai Brown and Christy Mathewson careers compare
From 1903 through 1916, Mordecai Brown and Christy Mathewson were in the majors together. With 481 games against 636 across 14 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Mordecai Brown are ERA (2.06 to 2.13). By rate, Mordecai Brown struck out 3.90 and walked 1.91 per nine innings; Christy Mathewson struck out 4.71 and walked 1.59. Mordecai Brown split time between starting and relief (332 starts in 481 games), while Christy Mathewson was mainly a starter (552 starts in 636 games). Christy Mathewson allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.06 WHIP to Mordecai Brown's 1.07.
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 7 of the 8 scored 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.