Candy Cummings vs Al Spalding: Career Stats Comparison
Al Spalding has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Candy Cummings played 1872–1877 as a pitcher; Al Spalding played 1871–1878 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
Candy Cummings (1872–1877) and Al Spalding (1871–1878) — both came up during the 1870s, so the matchup is a direct one. Candy Cummings finished with 145 wins and 259 strikeouts; Al Spalding finished with 251 wins and 248 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Al Spalding, with 2.13 to Candy Cummings's 2.42.
- Who won more games? Al Spalding, with 251 to Candy Cummings's 145.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Candy Cummings, with 259 to Al Spalding's 248.
- Who had the better WHIP? Al Spalding, with 1.19 to Candy Cummings's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Al Spalding, with 2,886.1 to Candy Cummings's 2,149.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Al Spalding, with 24 to Candy Cummings's 19.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Al Spalding, with 8,952 career Pitcher PIV to Candy Cummings's 8,753.
Candy Cummings
Al Spalding
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Candy Cummings | Al Spalding |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 145 | Leads: 251 |
| Losses not scored | 94 | 65 |
| Games | 242 | Leads: 347 |
| Games Started | 241 | Leads: 325 |
| Complete Games | 233 | Leads: 279 |
| Shutouts | 19 | Leads: 24 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 13 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 259 | 248 |
| Walks not scored | 113 | 164 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,526 | 3,280 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 12 | 15 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,149.2 | Leads: 2,886.1 |
| ERA | 2.42 | Leads: 2.13 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 1.08 | 0.77 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 0.47 | 0.51 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Spalding edges Candy Cummings 8,952 to 8,753 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Al Spalding played 7 seasons to Candy Cummings's 6, while Candy Cummings carries the higher per-season figure (1,459 to 1,279). 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).
Candy Cummings — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Al Spalding — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Spalding leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Candy Cummings owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Spalding. PIV agrees: Al Spalding grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Candy Cummings and Al Spalding careers compare
Candy Cummings and Al Spalding were active at the same time between 1872 and 1877. The two careers are close in length, 242 games for Candy Cummings and 347 for Al Spalding across 6 and 7 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Candy Cummings's edges on the table are strikeouts (259 to 248), strikeouts per nine (1.08 to 0.77), and walks per nine (0.47 to 0.51). The per-nine rows read 1.08 strikeouts and 0.47 walks for Candy Cummings, 0.77 and 0.51 for Al Spalding. Both had the same role: Candy Cummings was mainly a starter (241 starts in 242 games); Al Spalding was mainly a starter (325 starts in 347 games).
Candy Cummings vs Al Spalding: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Candy Cummings or Al Spalding?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Spalding leads Candy Cummings in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Al Spalding, with 2.13 to Candy Cummings's 2.42.
- Who won more games?
- Al Spalding, with 251 to Candy Cummings's 145.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Candy Cummings, with 259 to Al Spalding's 248.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Al Spalding, with 1.19 to Candy Cummings's 1.23.