Pud Galvin vs Old Hoss Radbourn: Career Stats Comparison
Pud Galvin has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Old Hoss Radbourn played 1880–1891 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 Old Hoss Radbourn (1880–1891) — breaking in during the 1870s and the 1880s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pud Galvin finished with 365 wins and 1,807 strikeouts; Old Hoss Radbourn finished with 310 wins and 1,830 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Old Hoss Radbourn, with 2.68 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games? Pud Galvin, with 365 to Old Hoss Radbourn's 310.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Old Hoss Radbourn, with 1,830 to Pud Galvin's 1,807.
- Who had the better WHIP? Old Hoss Radbourn, with 1.15 to Pud Galvin's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Pud Galvin, with 6,003.1 to Old Hoss Radbourn's 4,527.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pud Galvin, with 57 to Old Hoss Radbourn's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pud Galvin, with 27,907 career Pitcher PIV to Old Hoss Radbourn's 21,218.
Pud Galvin
Old Hoss Radbourn
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 1880s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pud Galvin | Old Hoss Radbourn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 365 | 310 |
| Losses not scored | 310 | 194 |
| Games | Leads: 705 | 527 |
| Games Started | Leads: 688 | 502 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 646 | 488 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 57 | 35 |
| Saves | 2 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 1,807 | Leads: 1,830 |
| Walks not scored | 745 | 875 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 6,405 | 4,328 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 121 | 118 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 6,003.1 | 4,527.1 |
| ERA | 2.85 | Leads: 2.68 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.15 |
| K/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 3.64 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.12 | 1.74 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pud Galvin leads Old Hoss Radbourn 27,907 to 21,218 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Pud Galvin played 17 seasons to Old Hoss Radbourn's 11, while Old Hoss Radbourn carries the higher per-season figure (1,929 to 1,642). 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)
Old Hoss Radbourn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Old Hoss Radbourn leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Pud Galvin owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Old Hoss Radbourn. Note that PIV actually grades Pud Galvin ahead, which means Old Hoss Radbourn's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pud Galvin and Old Hoss Radbourn careers compare
From 1880 through 1891, Pud Galvin and Old Hoss Radbourn were in the majors together. With 705 games against 527 across 17 and 11 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Old Hoss Radbourn are strikeouts (1,830 to 1,807), ERA (2.68 to 2.85), and WHIP (1.15 to 1.19). By rate, Pud Galvin struck out 2.71 and walked 1.12 per nine innings; Old Hoss Radbourn struck out 3.64 and walked 1.74. Pud Galvin was mainly a starter (688 starts in 705 games), and Old Hoss Radbourn was mainly a starter (502 starts in 527 games). Old Hoss Radbourn allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.15 WHIP to Pud Galvin's 1.19.
Pud Galvin vs Old Hoss Radbourn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pud Galvin or Old Hoss Radbourn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pud Galvin leads Old Hoss Radbourn in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Old Hoss Radbourn, with 2.68 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games?
- Pud Galvin, with 365 to Old Hoss Radbourn's 310.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Old Hoss Radbourn, with 1,830 to Pud Galvin's 1,807.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Old Hoss Radbourn, with 1.15 to Pud Galvin's 1.19.