Mordecai Brown vs Dazzy Vance: Career Stats Comparison
Mordecai Brown has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mordecai Brown played 1903–1916 as a pitcher; Dazzy Vance played 1915–1935 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 Dazzy Vance (1915–1935) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 1910s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mordecai Brown finished with 239 wins and 1,375 strikeouts; Dazzy Vance finished with 197 wins and 2,045 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 Dazzy Vance's 3.24.
- Who won more games? Mordecai Brown, with 239 to Dazzy Vance's 197.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dazzy Vance, with 2,045 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Dazzy Vance's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Mordecai Brown, with 3,172.1 to Dazzy Vance's 2,966.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mordecai Brown, with 55 to Dazzy Vance's 29.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dazzy Vance, with 70,553 career Pitcher PIV to Mordecai Brown's 31,501.
Mordecai Brown
Dazzy Vance
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 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mordecai Brown | Dazzy Vance |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 239 | 197 |
| Losses not scored | 130 | 140 |
| Games | Leads: 481 | 442 |
| Games Started | 332 | Leads: 347 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 271 | 216 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 29 |
| Saves | Leads: 49 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 1,375 | Leads: 2,045 |
| Walks not scored | 673 | 840 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,708 | 2,809 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 43 | 132 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,172.1 | 2,966.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.06 | 3.24 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.07 | 1.23 |
| K/9 | 3.90 | Leads: 6.20 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.91 | 2.55 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dazzy Vance outpaces Mordecai Brown 70,553 to 31,501 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,920 PIV per season to 2,100, across 18 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)
Dazzy Vance — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mordecai Brown leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Dazzy Vance owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mordecai Brown. Note that PIV actually grades Dazzy Vance ahead, which means Mordecai Brown's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mordecai Brown and Dazzy Vance careers compare
The careers of Mordecai Brown (1903–1916) and Dazzy Vance (1915–1935) overlapped from 1915 to 1916, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 481 games against 442 across 15 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Dazzy Vance's edges on the table are starts (347 to 332), strikeouts (2,045 to 1,375), and strikeouts per nine (6.20 to 3.90). The per-nine rows read 3.90 strikeouts and 1.91 walks for Mordecai Brown, 6.20 and 2.55 for Dazzy Vance. Mordecai Brown split time between starting and relief (332 starts in 481 games), while Dazzy Vance was mainly a starter (347 starts in 442 games).
Mordecai Brown vs Dazzy Vance: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mordecai Brown or Dazzy Vance?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mordecai Brown leads Dazzy Vance in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Dazzy Vance's 3.24.
- Who won more games?
- Mordecai Brown, with 239 to Dazzy Vance's 197.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dazzy Vance, with 2,045 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Dazzy Vance's 1.23.