Mordecai Brown vs Rube Waddell: Career Stats Comparison
Mordecai Brown has the better career line of the two, leading 6 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; Rube Waddell played 1897–1910 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 Rube Waddell (1897–1910) — they debuted in the 1900s and the 1890s respectively and share 8 seasons. Mordecai Brown finished with 239 wins and 1,375 strikeouts; Rube Waddell finished with 193 wins and 2,316 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Mordecai Brown, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Rube Waddell's 2.16.
- Who won more games? Mordecai Brown, with 239 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Rube Waddell's 1.10.
- How many innings did each pitch? Mordecai Brown 3,172.1, Rube Waddell 2,961.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mordecai Brown, with 55 to Rube Waddell's 50.
Mordecai Brown
Rube Waddell
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 | Rube Waddell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 239 | 193 |
| Losses not scored | 130 | 143 |
| Games not scored | 481 | 407 |
| Games Started not scored | 332 | 340 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 271 | 261 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 50 |
| Saves not scored | 49 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,375 | Leads: 2,316 |
| Walks not scored | 673 | 803 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,708 | 2,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 43 | 37 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,172.1 | 2,961.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.06 | 2.16 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.07 | 1.10 |
| K/9 | 3.90 | Leads: 7.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.91 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rube Waddell outpaces Mordecai Brown 69,450 to 31,501 — driven by per-season impact — 5,342 PIV per season to 2,250 — rather than by longevity, since Rube Waddell played 13 seasons to Mordecai Brown's 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)
Rube Waddell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Mordecai Brown leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, ERA, and others. Rube Waddell leads 2: strikeouts and strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mordecai Brown. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Rube Waddell higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mordecai Brown and Rube Waddell careers compare
Mordecai Brown and Rube Waddell were active at the same time between 1903 and 1910. The two careers are close in length, 481 games for Mordecai Brown and 407 for Rube Waddell across 14 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Rube Waddell comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts (2,316 to 1,375) and strikeouts per nine (7.04 to 3.90). By rate, Mordecai Brown struck out 3.90 and walked 1.91 per nine innings; Rube Waddell struck out 7.04 and walked 2.44. Their roles differ: Mordecai Brown split time between starting and relief (332 starts in 481 games); Rube Waddell was mainly a starter (340 starts in 407 games).
Mordecai Brown vs Rube Waddell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mordecai Brown or Rube Waddell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mordecai Brown leads Rube Waddell in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Rube Waddell's 2.16.
- Who won more games?
- Mordecai Brown, with 239 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Rube Waddell's 1.10.