Pud Galvin vs Vic Willis: Career Stats Comparison
Pud Galvin (1875–1892) and Vic Willis (1898–1910) — breaking in during the 1870s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pud Galvin compiled 365 wins and 1,807 strikeouts; Vic Willis put up 249 wins and 1,651 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Pud Galvin
Vic Willis
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Pud Galvin | Vic Willis |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 365 | 249 |
| Losses | 310 | 205 |
| Games | 705 | 513 |
| Games Started | 688 | 471 |
| Complete Games | 646 | 388 |
| Shutouts | 57 | 50 |
| Saves | 2 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 1,807 | 1,651 |
| Walks | 745 | 1,212 |
| Hits Allowed | 6,405 | 3,621 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 121 | 66 |
| Innings Pitched | 6,003 | 3,996 |
| ERA | 2.85 | 2.63 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | 1.21 |
| K/9 | 2.71 | 3.72 |
| BB/9 | 1.12 | 2.73 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pud Galvin outpaces Vic Willis 27,907 to 6,893 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,642 vs 530 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Vic Willis — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pud Galvin leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Vic Willis owns ERA 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.