Willie Foster vs Waite Hoyt: Career Stats Comparison
Waite Hoyt has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Willie Foster played ?–1937 as a pitcher; Waite Hoyt played 1918–1938 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
Willie Foster (?–1937) and Waite Hoyt (1918–1938) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Willie Foster finished with 125 wins and 1,062 strikeouts; Waite Hoyt finished with 237 wins and 1,206 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Willie Foster, with 2.66 to Waite Hoyt's 3.59.
- Who won more games? Waite Hoyt, with 237 to Willie Foster's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Waite Hoyt, with 1,206 to Willie Foster's 1,062.
- Who had the better WHIP? Willie Foster, with 1.15 to Waite Hoyt's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Waite Hoyt, with 3,762.1 to Willie Foster's 1,665.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Willie Foster, with 34 to Waite Hoyt's 26.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Willie Foster, with 41,672 career Pitcher PIV to Waite Hoyt's 27,173.
Willie Foster
Waite Hoyt
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 | Willie Foster | Waite Hoyt |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 125 | Leads: 237 |
| Losses not scored | 60 | 182 |
| Games | 262 | Leads: 674 |
| Games Started | 185 | Leads: 423 |
| Complete Games | 142 | Leads: 226 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 34 | 26 |
| Saves | 14 | Leads: 52 |
| Strikeouts | 1,062 | Leads: 1,206 |
| Walks not scored | 522 | 1,003 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,397 | 4,037 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 41 | 154 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,665.0 | Leads: 3,762.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.66 | 3.59 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.15 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.74 | 2.88 |
| BB/9 | 2.82 | Leads: 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Foster outpaces Waite Hoyt 41,672 to 27,173 — driven by per-season impact — 2,193 PIV per season to 1,087 — rather than by longevity, since Willie Foster played 19 seasons to Waite Hoyt's 25. 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).
Willie Foster — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Waite Hoyt — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Foster leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Waite Hoyt owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Foster. PIV agrees: Willie Foster grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie Foster and Waite Hoyt careers compare
Willie Foster and Waite Hoyt were active at the same time between 1937 and 1937. Waite Hoyt has the far longer record, 674 games against 262 across 19 and 25 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Willie Foster's edges on the table are shutouts (34 to 26), ERA (2.66 to 3.59), and WHIP (1.15 to 1.34). By rate, Willie Foster struck out 5.74 and walked 2.82 per nine innings; Waite Hoyt struck out 2.88 and walked 2.40. Willie Foster was mainly a starter (185 starts in 262 games), while Waite Hoyt split time between starting and relief (423 starts in 674 games). In WHIP, Willie Foster's 1.15 beats Waite Hoyt's 1.34.
Willie Foster vs Waite Hoyt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Foster or Waite Hoyt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Waite Hoyt leads Willie Foster in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Willie Foster, with 2.66 to Waite Hoyt's 3.59.
- Who won more games?
- Waite Hoyt, with 237 to Willie Foster's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Waite Hoyt, with 1,206 to Willie Foster's 1,062.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Willie Foster, with 1.15 to Waite Hoyt's 1.34.