Pud Galvin vs Al Spalding: Career Stats Comparison
Pud Galvin 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). Pud Galvin played 1875–1892 as a pitcher; Al Spalding played 1871–1878 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 Al Spalding (1871–1878) — both came up during the 1870s, so the matchup is a direct one. Pud Galvin finished with 365 wins and 1,807 strikeouts; Al Spalding finished with 251 wins and 248 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Al Spalding, with 2.13 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games? Pud Galvin, with 365 to Al Spalding's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pud Galvin, with 1,807 to Al Spalding's 248.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Pud Galvin, with 6,003.1 to Al Spalding's 2,886.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pud Galvin, with 57 to Al Spalding's 24.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pud Galvin, with 27,907 career Pitcher PIV to Al Spalding's 8,952.
Pud Galvin
Al Spalding
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 | Pud Galvin | Al Spalding |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 365 | 251 |
| Losses not scored | 310 | 65 |
| Games | Leads: 705 | 347 |
| Games Started | Leads: 688 | 325 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 646 | 279 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 57 | 24 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 13 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,807 | 248 |
| Walks not scored | 745 | 164 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 6,405 | 3,280 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 121 | 15 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 6,003.1 | 2,886.1 |
| ERA | 2.85 | Leads: 2.13 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.19 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 2.71 | 0.77 |
| BB/9 | 1.12 | Leads: 0.51 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pud Galvin outpaces Al Spalding 27,907 to 8,952 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,642 PIV per season to 1,279, across 17 seasons to 7. 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)
Al Spalding — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pud Galvin leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Al Spalding owns ERA. 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 Al Spalding careers compare
The careers of Pud Galvin (1875–1892) and Al Spalding (1871–1878) overlapped from 1875 to 1878, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Pud Galvin appeared in 705 games to Al Spalding's 347. The green cells for Al Spalding are saves (13 to 2), ERA (2.13 to 2.85), and walks per nine (0.51 to 1.12). By rate, Pud Galvin struck out 2.71 and walked 1.12 per nine innings; Al Spalding struck out 0.77 and walked 0.51.
Pud Galvin vs Al Spalding: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pud Galvin or Al Spalding?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pud Galvin leads Al Spalding in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Al Spalding, with 2.13 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games?
- Pud Galvin, with 365 to Al Spalding's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pud Galvin, with 1,807 to Al Spalding's 248.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.19.