Pud Galvin vs Joe McGinnity: Career Stats Comparison
Pud Galvin 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). Pud Galvin played 1875–1892 as a pitcher; Joe McGinnity played 1899–1908 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
Pud Galvin (1875–1892) and Joe McGinnity (1899–1908) — breaking in during the 1870s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pud Galvin finished with 365 wins and 1,807 strikeouts; Joe McGinnity finished with 246 wins and 1,068 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Joe McGinnity, with 2.66 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games? Pud Galvin, with 365 to Joe McGinnity's 246.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pud Galvin, with 1,807 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Pud Galvin, with 6,003.1 to Joe McGinnity's 3,441.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pud Galvin, with 57 to Joe McGinnity's 32.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pud Galvin, with 27,907 career Pitcher PIV to Joe McGinnity's 3,283.
Pud Galvin
Joe McGinnity
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 | Pud Galvin | Joe McGinnity |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 365 | 246 |
| Losses not scored | 310 | 142 |
| Games | Leads: 705 | 465 |
| Games Started | Leads: 688 | 381 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 646 | 314 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 57 | 32 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 24 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,807 | 1,068 |
| Walks not scored | 745 | 812 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 6,405 | 3,276 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 121 | 52 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 6,003.1 | 3,441.1 |
| ERA | 2.85 | Leads: 2.66 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 2.79 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.12 | 2.12 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pud Galvin outpaces Joe McGinnity 27,907 to 3,283 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,642 PIV per season to 298, across 17 seasons to 11. 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).
Pud Galvin — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Joe McGinnity — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pud Galvin leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Joe McGinnity owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pud Galvin. PIV agrees: Pud Galvin grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pud Galvin and Joe McGinnity careers compare
Pud Galvin (1875–1892) was finished before Joe McGinnity (1899–1908) arrived, so they never shared a league. Pud Galvin has the far longer record, 705 games against 465 across 17 and 11 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Joe McGinnity's edges on the table are saves (24 to 2), ERA (2.66 to 2.85), and WHIP (1.19 to 1.19). The per-nine rows read 2.71 strikeouts and 1.12 walks for Pud Galvin, 2.79 and 2.12 for Joe McGinnity. Both had the same role: Pud Galvin was mainly a starter (688 starts in 705 games); Joe McGinnity was mainly a starter (381 starts in 465 games). In WHIP, Joe McGinnity's 1.19 beats Pud Galvin's 1.19.
Pud Galvin vs Joe McGinnity: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pud Galvin or Joe McGinnity?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pud Galvin leads Joe McGinnity in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe McGinnity, with 2.66 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games?
- Pud Galvin, with 365 to Joe McGinnity's 246.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pud Galvin, with 1,807 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.19.