Mike Donlin vs Christy Mathewson: Career Stats Comparison
Mike Donlin and Christy Mathewson played different roles, so their careers are compared side by side rather than scored against each other. Mike Donlin played 1899–1914 as a hitter; Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916 as a pitcher.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Mike Donlin (1899–1914) and Christy Mathewson (1900–1916) played opposite sides of the ball, so there is no honest category-by-category scoreboard for this matchup. Christy Mathewson pitched, totalling 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts; Mike Donlin hit, totalling 1,282 hits and 51 home runs. Each career is shown below in its own discipline, with PIV as the one measure that spans both roles.
Quick answer
- Who has the higher career PIV? Christy Mathewson, with 82,446 career PIV to Mike Donlin's 20,363.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Mike Donlin
Christy Mathewson
Career Stats, Each in His Own Role
Christy Mathewson is shown on pitching lines and Mike Donlin on batting lines. Nothing is marked as a category winner, because these two cards measure different jobs — reading them cell against cell would tell you nothing.
Mike Donlin — Hitter
| Statistic | Mike Donlin |
|---|---|
| Games | 1,049 |
| At-Bats | 3,854 |
| Runs | 669 |
| Hits | 1,282 |
| Doubles | 176 |
| Triples | 97 |
| Home Runs | 51 |
| RBI | 543 |
| Walks | 312 |
| Strikeouts | 311 |
| Stolen Bases | 213 |
| Batting Avg | .333 |
| On-Base % | .386 |
| Slugging % | .468 |
| OPS | .854 |
Christy Mathewson — Pitcher
| Statistic | Christy Mathewson |
|---|---|
| Wins | 373 |
| Losses | 188 |
| Games | 636 |
| Games Started | 552 |
| Complete Games | 435 |
| Shutouts | 79 |
| Saves | 29 |
| Strikeouts | 2,507 |
| Walks | 848 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,219 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 90 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,788.2 |
| ERA | 2.13 |
| WHIP | 1.06 |
| K/9 | 4.71 |
| BB/9 | 1.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
Mike Donlin carries a career batting PIV of 20,363; Christy Mathewson carries a career pitching PIV of 82,446. Christy Mathewson is the higher of the two at 82,446 to 20,363. Both figures adjust each season to league baselines, but batting PIV and pitching PIV are calibrated separately — so read this as a directional comparison of career impact, not a settled verdict.
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 within his own role — ERA for the pitcher (120+ innings), OPS for the hitter (300+ at-bats).
Mike Donlin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Christy Mathewson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
There is no head-to-head scoreboard for Christy Mathewson and Mike Donlin: one pitched and one hit, and no counting stat means the same thing on both cards. On PIV — the one metric that scores both roles against league baselines — Christy Mathewson grades higher, 82,446 to 20,363. Because the batting and pitching versions of PIV are calibrated separately, that gap is a directional signal about career impact rather than a ruling on who was the better ballplayer. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mike Donlin and Christy Mathewson careers compare
Mike Donlin and Christy Mathewson were active at the same time between 1900 and 1914. As a hitter, Mike Donlin collected 1,282 hits and 51 home runs with a .854 OPS. As a pitcher, Christy Mathewson went 373-188 with a 2.13 ERA and 2,507 strikeouts. No single table can grade a pitcher against a hitter, so each career is shown in its own discipline, with PIV as the common scale. Their best seasons are measured differently, .936 OPS in 1903 for Mike Donlin and 1.14 ERA in 1909 for Christy Mathewson.
Mike Donlin vs Christy Mathewson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who has the higher career PIV?
- Christy Mathewson, with 82,446 career PIV to Mike Donlin's 20,363.
- Who won more championships?
- Both — each won 1 World Series title.
- How do Mike Donlin and Christy Mathewson compare?
- Mike Donlin played 1899–1914 and Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916; this page sets their career totals side by side in every category both accumulated.