Mordecai Brown vs Kid Nichols: Career Stats Comparison
Mordecai Brown and Kid Nichols are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mordecai Brown played 1903–1916 as a pitcher; Kid Nichols played 1890–1906 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 Kid Nichols (1890–1906) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mordecai Brown finished with 239 wins and 1,375 strikeouts; Kid Nichols finished with 362 wins and 1,881 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 Kid Nichols's 2.96.
- Who won more games? Kid Nichols, with 362 to Mordecai Brown's 239.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Kid Nichols, with 1,881 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Kid Nichols's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Kid Nichols, with 5,067.1 to Mordecai Brown's 3,172.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mordecai Brown, with 55 to Kid Nichols's 48.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Kid Nichols, with 64,461 career Pitcher PIV to Mordecai Brown's 31,501.
Mordecai Brown
Kid Nichols
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. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. 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, and the 1900s and the 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mordecai Brown | Kid Nichols |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 239 | Leads: 362 |
| Losses not scored | 130 | 208 |
| Games | 481 | Leads: 621 |
| Games Started | 332 | Leads: 562 |
| Complete Games | 271 | Leads: 532 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 48 |
| Saves | Leads: 49 | 16 |
| Strikeouts | 1,375 | Leads: 1,881 |
| Walks not scored | 673 | 1,272 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,708 | 4,929 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 43 | 156 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,172.1 | Leads: 5,067.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.06 | 2.96 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.07 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | Leads: 3.90 | 3.34 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.91 | 2.26 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kid Nichols outpaces Mordecai Brown 64,461 to 31,501 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,029 PIV per season to 2,100, across 16 seasons to 15. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
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)
Kid Nichols — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Kid Nichols leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Mordecai Brown owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kid Nichols. PIV agrees: Kid Nichols 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 Kid Nichols careers compare
Mordecai Brown and Kid Nichols were active at the same time between 1903 and 1906. The two careers are close in length, 481 games for Mordecai Brown and 621 for Kid Nichols across 15 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Mordecai Brown struck out 3.90 and walked 1.91 per nine innings; Kid Nichols struck out 3.34 and walked 2.26. Their roles differ: Mordecai Brown split time between starting and relief (332 starts in 481 games); Kid Nichols was mainly a starter (562 starts in 621 games). In WHIP, Mordecai Brown's 1.07 beats Kid Nichols's 1.22.
Mordecai Brown vs Kid Nichols: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Kid Nichols's 2.96.
- Who won more games?
- Kid Nichols, with 362 to Mordecai Brown's 239.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Kid Nichols, with 1,881 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Kid Nichols's 1.22.