Willie Foster vs Joe Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Foster (?–1938) and Joe Williams (?–1932) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Willie Foster compiled 125 wins and 1,062 strikeouts; Joe Williams put up 109 wins and 1,033 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Willie Foster | Joe Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 125 | 109 |
| Losses | 60 | 59 |
| Games | 262 | 207 |
| Games Started | 185 | 172 |
| Complete Games | 142 | 140 |
| Shutouts | 34 | 14 |
| Saves | 14 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,062 | 1,033 |
| Walks | 522 | 339 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,397 | 1,456 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 41 | 26 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,665 | 1,517 |
| ERA | 2.66 | 2.57 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 5.74 | 6.13 |
| BB/9 | 2.82 | 2.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Williams edges Willie Foster 44,974 to 41,672 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,142 vs 2,193 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).
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.