Mordecai Brown vs Ed Walsh: Career Stats Comparison
Mordecai Brown and Ed Walsh are close to even, splitting the 12 statistical categories compared on this page 6–6. Mordecai Brown played 1903–1916 as a pitcher; Ed Walsh played 1904–1917 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 Ed Walsh (1904–1917) — both came up during the 1900s, so the matchup is a direct one. Mordecai Brown compiled 239 wins and 1,375 strikeouts; Ed Walsh put up 195 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Mordecai Brown's 2.06.
- Who won more games? Mordecai Brown, with 239 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Ed Walsh, with 1,736 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Mordecai Brown's 1.07.
- Who pitched more innings? Mordecai Brown, with 3,172 to Ed Walsh's 2,964.
- Who threw more shutouts? Ed Walsh, with 57 to Mordecai Brown's 55.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Ed Walsh, with 62,631 career Pitcher PIV to Mordecai Brown's 31,501.
Mordecai Brown
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Mordecai Brown | Ed Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 239 | 195 |
| Losses | 130 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 481 | 430 |
| Games Started | Leads: 332 | 315 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 271 | 250 |
| Shutouts | 55 | Leads: 57 |
| Saves | Leads: 49 | 35 |
| Strikeouts | 1,375 | Leads: 1,736 |
| Walks | 673 | 617 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,708 | 2,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 43 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,172 | 2,964 |
| ERA | 2.06 | Leads: 1.82 |
| WHIP | 1.07 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 3.90 | Leads: 5.27 |
| BB/9 | 1.91 | Leads: 1.87 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ed Walsh outpaces Mordecai Brown 62,631 to 31,501 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,474 vs 2,100 per year). 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)
Ed Walsh — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ed Walsh leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Mordecai Brown owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ed Walsh. PIV agrees: Ed Walsh grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Mordecai Brown vs Ed Walsh: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Mordecai Brown's 2.06.
- Who won more games?
- Mordecai Brown, with 239 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Ed Walsh, with 1,736 to Mordecai Brown's 1,375.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Mordecai Brown's 1.07.