Mordecai Brown vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Plank has the better career line of the two, leading 5 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; Eddie Plank played 1901–1917 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
Mordecai Brown (1903–1916) and Eddie Plank (1901–1917) — both debuted in the 1900s. Mordecai Brown finished with 239 wins and 1,375 strikeouts; Eddie Plank finished with 326 wins and 2,246 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Eddie Plank, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Eddie Plank's 2.35.
- Who won more games? Eddie Plank, with 326 to Mordecai Brown's 239.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.
- How many innings did each pitch? Mordecai Brown 3,172.1, Eddie Plank 4,495.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eddie Plank, with 69 to Mordecai Brown's 55.
Mordecai Brown
Eddie Plank
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 | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 239 | Leads: 326 |
| Losses not scored | 130 | 194 |
| Games not scored | 481 | 623 |
| Games Started not scored | 332 | 529 |
| Complete Games | 271 | Leads: 410 |
| Shutouts | 55 | Leads: 69 |
| Saves not scored | 49 | 23 |
| Strikeouts | 1,375 | Leads: 2,246 |
| Walks not scored | 673 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,708 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 43 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,172.1 | 4,495.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.06 | 2.35 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.07 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 3.90 | Leads: 4.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.91 | 2.15 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Plank outpaces Mordecai Brown 51,914 to 31,501 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,054 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)
Eddie Plank — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Eddie Plank leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Mordecai Brown leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Plank. PIV agrees: Eddie Plank 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 Eddie Plank careers compare
Mordecai Brown and Eddie Plank were active at the same time between 1903 and 1916. The two careers are close in length, 481 games for Mordecai Brown and 623 for Eddie Plank across 14 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Mordecai Brown's edges on the table are ERA (2.06 to 2.35), WHIP (1.07 to 1.12), and walks per nine (1.91 to 2.15). By rate, Mordecai Brown struck out 3.90 and walked 1.91 per nine innings; Eddie Plank struck out 4.50 and walked 2.15.
Mordecai Brown vs Eddie Plank: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mordecai Brown or Eddie Plank?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Plank leads Mordecai Brown in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Eddie Plank's 2.35.
- Who won more games?
- Eddie Plank, with 326 to Mordecai Brown's 239.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.