John Clarkson vs Pud Galvin: Career Stats Comparison
Pud Galvin has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. 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) — breaking in during the 1880s and the 1870s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. John Clarkson compiled 328 wins and 1,978 strikeouts; Pud Galvin put up 365 wins and 1,807 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Pud Galvin, with 6,003 to John Clarkson's 4,536.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pud Galvin, with 57 to John Clarkson's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Clarkson, with 36,438 career Pitcher PIV to Pud Galvin's 27,907.
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. 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 | John Clarkson | Pud Galvin |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 328 | Leads: 365 |
| Losses | 178 | 310 |
| Games | 531 | Leads: 705 |
| Games Started | 518 | Leads: 688 |
| Complete Games | 485 | Leads: 646 |
| Shutouts | 37 | Leads: 57 |
| Saves | Leads: 5 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,978 | 1,807 |
| Walks | 1,191 | 745 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,295 | 6,405 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 159 | 121 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,536 | Leads: 6,003 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,803 vs 1,642 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).
John Clarkson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Pud Galvin — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Clarkson leads in strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Pud Galvin owns wins, WHIP, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John Clarkson. PIV agrees: John Clarkson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
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 8 of 12 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.