Watson Clark vs Paul Derringer: Career Stats Comparison
Watson Clark (1924–1937) and Paul Derringer (1931–1945) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Watson Clark compiled 111 wins and 643 strikeouts; Paul Derringer put up 223 wins and 1,507 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Watson Clark
Paul Derringer
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Watson Clark | Paul Derringer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 111 | 223 |
| Losses | 97 | 212 |
| Games | 355 | 579 |
| Games Started | 206 | 445 |
| Complete Games | 91 | 251 |
| Shutouts | 14 | 32 |
| Saves | 16 | 29 |
| Strikeouts | 643 | 1,507 |
| Walks | 383 | 761 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,897 | 3,912 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 86 | 158 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,747 | 3,645 |
| ERA | 3.66 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | 1.30 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | 3.31 | 3.72 |
| BB/9 | 1.97 | 1.88 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Derringer outpaces Watson Clark 67,059 to 23,338 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,191 vs 1,667 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).
Watson Clark — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Paul Derringer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Derringer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Watson Clark owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Derringer. PIV agrees: Paul Derringer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.