Willie Foster vs Joe Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Foster 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). Willie Foster played ?–1937 as a pitcher; Joe Williams played ?–1932 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 Joe Williams (?–1932) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Willie Foster finished with 125 wins and 1,062 strikeouts; Joe Williams finished with 109 wins and 1,033 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Joe Williams, with 2.57 to Willie Foster's 2.66.
- Who won more games? Willie Foster, with 125 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Willie Foster, with 1,062 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP? Willie Foster, with 1.15 to Joe Williams's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Willie Foster, with 1,665.0 to Joe Williams's 1,517.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Willie Foster, with 34 to Joe Williams's 14.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Joe Williams, with 44,974 career Pitcher PIV to Willie Foster's 41,672.
Willie Foster
Joe Williams
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 | Joe Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 125 | 109 |
| Losses not scored | 60 | 59 |
| Games | Leads: 262 | 207 |
| Games Started | Leads: 185 | 172 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 142 | 140 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 34 | 14 |
| Saves | Leads: 14 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,062 | 1,033 |
| Walks not scored | 522 | 339 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,397 | 1,456 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 41 | 26 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,665.0 | 1,517.0 |
| ERA | 2.66 | Leads: 2.57 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.15 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 5.74 | Leads: 6.13 |
| BB/9 | 2.82 | Leads: 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Williams edges Willie Foster 44,974 to 41,672 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Joe Williams played 21 seasons to Willie Foster's 19, while Willie Foster carries the higher per-season figure (2,193 to 2,142). 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)
Joe Williams — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Foster leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Joe Williams owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Foster. Note that PIV actually grades Joe Williams ahead, which means Willie Foster's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie Foster and Joe Williams careers compare
No season is shared: Joe Williams played ?–1932, Willie Foster ?–1937. The two careers are close in length, 262 games for Willie Foster and 207 for Joe Williams across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Joe Williams's edges on the table are ERA (2.57 to 2.66), strikeouts per nine (6.13 to 5.74), and walks per nine (2.01 to 2.82). By rate, Willie Foster struck out 5.74 and walked 2.82 per nine innings; Joe Williams struck out 6.13 and walked 2.01. Both had the same role: Willie Foster was mainly a starter (185 starts in 262 games); Joe Williams was mainly a starter (172 starts in 207 games).
Willie Foster vs Joe Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Foster or Joe Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Foster leads Joe Williams in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe Williams, with 2.57 to Willie Foster's 2.66.
- Who won more games?
- Willie Foster, with 125 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Willie Foster, with 1,062 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Willie Foster, with 1.15 to Joe Williams's 1.18.