Candy Cummings vs Vic Willis: Career Stats Comparison
Vic Willis has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Vic Willis played 1898–1910 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 Vic Willis (1898–1910) — breaking in during the 1870s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Candy Cummings finished with 145 wins and 259 strikeouts; Vic Willis finished with 249 wins and 1,651 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Candy Cummings, with 2.42 to Vic Willis's 2.63.
- Who won more games? Vic Willis, with 249 to Candy Cummings's 145.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Vic Willis, with 1,651 to Candy Cummings's 259.
- Who had the better WHIP? Vic Willis, with 1.21 to Candy Cummings's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Vic Willis, with 3,996.0 to Candy Cummings's 2,149.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Vic Willis, with 50 to Candy Cummings's 19.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Candy Cummings, with 8,753 career Pitcher PIV to Vic Willis's 6,893.
Candy Cummings
Vic Willis
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, and the 1870s and the 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Candy Cummings | Vic Willis |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 145 | Leads: 249 |
| Losses not scored | 94 | 205 |
| Games | 242 | Leads: 513 |
| Games Started | 241 | Leads: 471 |
| Complete Games | 233 | Leads: 388 |
| Shutouts | 19 | Leads: 50 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 11 |
| Strikeouts | 259 | Leads: 1,651 |
| Walks not scored | 113 | 1,212 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,526 | 3,621 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 12 | 66 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,149.2 | Leads: 3,996.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.42 | 2.63 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.21 |
| K/9 | 1.08 | Leads: 3.72 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 0.47 | 2.73 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Candy Cummings leads Vic Willis 8,753 to 6,893 — driven by per-season impact — 1,459 PIV per season to 530 — rather than by longevity, since Candy Cummings played 6 seasons to Vic Willis's 13. 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)
Vic Willis — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Vic Willis leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Candy Cummings owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Vic Willis. Note that PIV actually grades Candy Cummings ahead, which means Vic Willis's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Candy Cummings and Vic Willis careers compare
Candy Cummings (1872–1877) was finished before Vic Willis (1898–1910) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 242 games of Candy Cummings with 513 of Vic Willis across 6 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Candy Cummings's edges on the table are ERA (2.42 to 2.63) and walks per nine (0.47 to 2.73). By rate, Candy Cummings struck out 1.08 and walked 0.47 per nine innings; Vic Willis struck out 3.72 and walked 2.73. Both had the same role: Candy Cummings was mainly a starter (241 starts in 242 games); Vic Willis was mainly a starter (471 starts in 513 games).
Candy Cummings vs Vic Willis: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Candy Cummings or Vic Willis?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Vic Willis leads Candy Cummings in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Candy Cummings, with 2.42 to Vic Willis's 2.63.
- Who won more games?
- Vic Willis, with 249 to Candy Cummings's 145.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Vic Willis, with 1,651 to Candy Cummings's 259.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Vic Willis, with 1.21 to Candy Cummings's 1.23.