Candy Cummings vs Al Spalding: Career Stats Comparison
Candy Cummings (1872–1877) and Al Spalding (1871–1878) — both came up during the 1870s, so the matchup is a direct one. Candy Cummings compiled 145 wins and 259 strikeouts; Al Spalding put up 251 wins and 248 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Candy Cummings | Al Spalding |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 145 | 251 |
| Losses | 94 | 65 |
| Games | 242 | 347 |
| Games Started | 241 | 325 |
| Complete Games | 233 | 279 |
| Shutouts | 19 | 24 |
| Saves | 0 | 13 |
| Strikeouts | 259 | 248 |
| Walks | 113 | 164 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,526 | 3,280 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 12 | 15 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,149 | 2,886 |
| ERA | 2.42 | 2.13 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | 1.08 | 0.77 |
| BB/9 | 0.47 | 0.51 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Spalding edges Candy Cummings 8,952 to 8,753 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,279 vs 1,459 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).
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.