Jack Chesbro vs Rube Marquard: Career Stats Comparison
Rube Marquard has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jack Chesbro played 1899–1909 as a pitcher; Rube Marquard played 1908–1925 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
Jack Chesbro (1899–1909) and Rube Marquard (1908–1925) — breaking in during the 1890s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jack Chesbro finished with 198 wins and 1,265 strikeouts; Rube Marquard finished with 201 wins and 1,593 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jack Chesbro, with 2.68 to Rube Marquard's 3.08.
- Who won more games? Rube Marquard, with 201 to Jack Chesbro's 198.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rube Marquard, with 1,593 to Jack Chesbro's 1,265.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jack Chesbro, with 1.15 to Rube Marquard's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Rube Marquard, with 3,306.2 to Jack Chesbro's 2,896.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jack Chesbro, with 35 to Rube Marquard's 30.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rube Marquard, with 28,636 career Pitcher PIV to Jack Chesbro's 22,639.
Jack Chesbro
Rube Marquard
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 1890s and the 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jack Chesbro | Rube Marquard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 198 | Leads: 201 |
| Losses not scored | 132 | 177 |
| Games | 392 | Leads: 536 |
| Games Started | 332 | Leads: 404 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 260 | 197 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 30 |
| Saves | 5 | Leads: 19 |
| Strikeouts | 1,265 | Leads: 1,593 |
| Walks not scored | 690 | 858 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,647 | 3,233 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 39 | 107 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,896.2 | Leads: 3,306.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.68 | 3.08 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.15 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 3.93 | Leads: 4.34 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.14 | 2.34 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rube Marquard leads Jack Chesbro 28,636 to 22,639 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rube Marquard played 19 seasons to Jack Chesbro's 12, while Jack Chesbro carries the higher per-season figure (1,887 to 1,507). 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).
Jack Chesbro — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Rube Marquard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rube Marquard leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Jack Chesbro owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rube Marquard. PIV agrees: Rube Marquard grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jack Chesbro and Rube Marquard careers compare
The careers of Jack Chesbro (1899–1909) and Rube Marquard (1908–1925) overlapped from 1908 to 1909, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 392 games for Jack Chesbro and 536 for Rube Marquard across 12 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 3.93 strikeouts and 2.14 walks for Jack Chesbro, 4.34 and 2.34 for Rube Marquard. Jack Chesbro was mainly a starter (332 starts in 392 games), and Rube Marquard was mainly a starter (404 starts in 536 games). Jack Chesbro allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.15 WHIP to Rube Marquard's 1.24.
Jack Chesbro vs Rube Marquard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jack Chesbro or Rube Marquard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rube Marquard leads Jack Chesbro in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jack Chesbro, with 2.68 to Rube Marquard's 3.08.
- Who won more games?
- Rube Marquard, with 201 to Jack Chesbro's 198.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rube Marquard, with 1,593 to Jack Chesbro's 1,265.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jack Chesbro, with 1.15 to Rube Marquard's 1.24.