John Clarkson vs Pud Galvin: Career Stats Comparison
Pud Galvin has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). John Clarkson played 1882–1894 as a pitcher; Pud Galvin played 1875–1892 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
John Clarkson (1882–1894) and Pud Galvin (1875–1892) — they debuted in the 1880s and the 1870s respectively and share 11 seasons. John Clarkson finished with 328 wins and 1,978 strikeouts; Pud Galvin finished with 365 wins and 1,807 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Pud Galvin, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? John Clarkson, with 2.81 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games? Pud Galvin, with 365 to John Clarkson's 328.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Clarkson, with 1,978 to Pud Galvin's 1,807.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pud Galvin, with 1.19 to John Clarkson's 1.21.
- How many innings did each pitch? John Clarkson 4,536.1, Pud Galvin 6,003.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pud Galvin, with 57 to John Clarkson's 37.
John Clarkson
Pud Galvin
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 | John Clarkson | Pud Galvin |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 328 | Leads: 365 |
| Losses not scored | 178 | 310 |
| Games not scored | 531 | 705 |
| Games Started not scored | 518 | 688 |
| Complete Games | 485 | Leads: 646 |
| Shutouts | 37 | Leads: 57 |
| Saves not scored | 5 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,978 | 1,807 |
| Walks not scored | 1,191 | 745 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,295 | 6,405 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 159 | 121 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,536.1 | 6,003.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.81 | 2.85 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 3.92 | 2.71 |
| BB/9 | 2.36 | Leads: 1.12 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Clarkson leads Pud Galvin 36,438 to 27,907 — driven by per-season impact — 3,036 PIV per season to 1,860 — rather than by longevity, since John Clarkson played 12 seasons to Pud Galvin's 15. 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).
John Clarkson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Pud Galvin — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Pud Galvin leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, WHIP, and others. John Clarkson leads 3: strikeouts, ERA, and strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pud Galvin. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades John Clarkson higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the John Clarkson and Pud Galvin careers compare
The careers of John Clarkson (1882–1894) and Pud Galvin (1875–1892) overlapped from 1882 to 1892, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 531 games against 705 across 12 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. John Clarkson's edges on the table are strikeouts (1,978 to 1,807), ERA (2.81 to 2.85), and strikeouts per nine (3.92 to 2.71). By rate, John Clarkson struck out 3.92 and walked 2.36 per nine innings; Pud Galvin struck out 2.71 and walked 1.12. John Clarkson was mainly a starter (518 starts in 531 games), and Pud Galvin was mainly a starter (688 starts in 705 games).
John Clarkson vs Pud Galvin: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, John Clarkson or Pud Galvin?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pud Galvin leads John Clarkson in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Clarkson, with 2.81 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games?
- Pud Galvin, with 365 to John Clarkson's 328.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Clarkson, with 1,978 to Pud Galvin's 1,807.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pud Galvin, with 1.19 to John Clarkson's 1.21.