Pud Galvin vs Ed Walsh: 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; Ed Walsh played 1904–1917 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 Ed Walsh (1904–1917) — breaking in during the 1870s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pud Galvin finished with 365 wins and 1,807 strikeouts; Ed Walsh finished with 195 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games? Pud Galvin, with 365 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pud Galvin, with 1,807 to Ed Walsh's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Pud Galvin's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Pud Galvin, with 6,003.1 to Ed Walsh's 2,964.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 57.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Ed Walsh, with 62,631 career Pitcher PIV to Pud Galvin's 27,907.
Pud Galvin
Ed Walsh
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 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pud Galvin | Ed Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 365 | 195 |
| Losses not scored | 310 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 705 | 430 |
| Games Started | Leads: 688 | 315 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 646 | 250 |
| Shutouts | 57 | 57 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 35 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,807 | 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 745 | 617 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 6,405 | 2,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 121 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 6,003.1 | 2,964.1 |
| ERA | 2.85 | Leads: 1.82 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 5.27 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.12 | 1.87 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ed Walsh outpaces Pud Galvin 62,631 to 27,907 — driven by per-season impact — 4,474 PIV per season to 1,642 — rather than by longevity, since Ed Walsh 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)
Ed Walsh — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ed Walsh leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Pud Galvin owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ed Walsh. PIV agrees: Ed Walsh 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 Ed Walsh careers compare
No season is shared: Pud Galvin played 1875–1892, Ed Walsh 1904–1917. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Pud Galvin appeared in 705 games to Ed Walsh's 430. Where Ed Walsh comes out ahead, it is in saves (35 to 2), ERA (1.82 to 2.85), and WHIP (1.00 to 1.19). The per-nine rows read 2.71 strikeouts and 1.12 walks for Pud Galvin, 5.27 and 1.87 for Ed Walsh. Both had the same role: Pud Galvin was mainly a starter (688 starts in 705 games); Ed Walsh was mainly a starter (315 starts in 430 games). Ed Walsh allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.00 WHIP to Pud Galvin's 1.19.
Pud Galvin vs Ed Walsh: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pud Galvin or Ed Walsh?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pud Galvin leads Ed Walsh in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Pud Galvin's 2.85.
- Who won more games?
- Pud Galvin, with 365 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pud Galvin, with 1,807 to Ed Walsh's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Pud Galvin's 1.19.