Pud Galvin vs Rube Waddell: 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; Rube Waddell played 1897–1910 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 Rube Waddell (1897–1910) — 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; Rube Waddell finished with 193 wins and 2,316 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games? Pud Galvin, with 365 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Pud Galvin's 1,807.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Pud Galvin's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Pud Galvin, with 6,003.1 to Rube Waddell's 2,961.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pud Galvin, with 57 to Rube Waddell's 50.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rube Waddell, with 69,450 career Pitcher PIV to Pud Galvin's 27,907.
Pud Galvin
Rube Waddell
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 | Rube Waddell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 365 | 193 |
| Losses not scored | 310 | 143 |
| Games | Leads: 705 | 407 |
| Games Started | Leads: 688 | 340 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 646 | 261 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 57 | 50 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,807 | Leads: 2,316 |
| Walks not scored | 745 | 803 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 6,405 | 2,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 121 | 37 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 6,003.1 | 2,961.1 |
| ERA | 2.85 | Leads: 2.16 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 7.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.12 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rube Waddell outpaces Pud Galvin 69,450 to 27,907 — driven by per-season impact — 4,961 PIV per season to 1,642 — rather than by longevity, since Rube Waddell played 14 seasons to Pud Galvin's 17. 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)
Rube Waddell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rube Waddell 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 Rube Waddell. PIV agrees: Rube Waddell 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 Rube Waddell careers compare
No season is shared: Pud Galvin played 1875–1892, Rube Waddell 1897–1910. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Pud Galvin appeared in 705 games to Rube Waddell's 407. The per-nine rows read 2.71 strikeouts and 1.12 walks for Pud Galvin, 7.04 and 2.44 for Rube Waddell. Pud Galvin was mainly a starter (688 starts in 705 games), and Rube Waddell was mainly a starter (340 starts in 407 games). In WHIP, Rube Waddell's 1.10 beats Pud Galvin's 1.19. On the peak-season lists, Pud Galvin's best year is 1884 at 1.99 ERA and Rube Waddell's is 1905 at 1.48 ERA; Rube Waddell has the stronger single season.
Pud Galvin vs Rube Waddell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pud Galvin or Rube Waddell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pud Galvin leads Rube Waddell in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games?
- Pud Galvin, with 365 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Pud Galvin's 1,807.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Pud Galvin's 1.19.