Burleigh Grimes vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Plank has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Burleigh Grimes played 1916–1934 as a pitcher; Eddie Plank played 1901–1917 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
Burleigh Grimes (1916–1934) and Eddie Plank (1901–1917) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Burleigh Grimes finished with 270 wins and 1,512 strikeouts; Eddie Plank finished with 326 wins and 2,246 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Burleigh Grimes's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Eddie Plank, with 326 to Burleigh Grimes's 270.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Burleigh Grimes's 1,512.
- Who had the better WHIP? Eddie Plank, with 1.12 to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.
- Who pitched more innings? Eddie Plank, with 4,495.2 to Burleigh Grimes's 4,180.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eddie Plank, with 69 to Burleigh Grimes's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Eddie Plank, with 51,914 career Pitcher PIV to Burleigh Grimes's 18,821.
Burleigh Grimes
Eddie Plank
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 1910s and the 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Burleigh Grimes | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 270 | Leads: 326 |
| Losses not scored | 212 | 194 |
| Games | 616 | Leads: 623 |
| Games Started | 497 | Leads: 529 |
| Complete Games | 314 | Leads: 410 |
| Shutouts | 35 | Leads: 69 |
| Saves | 18 | Leads: 23 |
| Strikeouts | 1,512 | Leads: 2,246 |
| Walks not scored | 1,295 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,412 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 148 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,180.0 | Leads: 4,495.2 |
| ERA | 3.53 | Leads: 2.35 |
| WHIP | 1.37 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 3.26 | Leads: 4.50 |
| BB/9 | 2.79 | Leads: 2.15 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Plank outpaces Burleigh Grimes 51,914 to 18,821 — driven by per-season impact — 3,054 PIV per season to 818 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Plank played 17 seasons to Burleigh Grimes's 23. 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).
Burleigh Grimes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Eddie Plank — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Plank leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Burleigh Grimes owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Plank. PIV agrees: Eddie Plank grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Burleigh Grimes and Eddie Plank careers compare
The careers of Burleigh Grimes (1916–1934) and Eddie Plank (1901–1917) overlapped from 1916 to 1917, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 616 games against 623 across 23 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Eddie Plank. By rate, Burleigh Grimes struck out 3.26 and walked 2.79 per nine innings; Eddie Plank struck out 4.50 and walked 2.15. Both had the same role: Burleigh Grimes was mainly a starter (497 starts in 616 games); Eddie Plank was mainly a starter (529 starts in 623 games). Eddie Plank allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.12 WHIP to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.
Burleigh Grimes vs Eddie Plank: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Burleigh Grimes or Eddie Plank?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Plank leads Burleigh Grimes in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Burleigh Grimes's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Eddie Plank, with 326 to Burleigh Grimes's 270.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Burleigh Grimes's 1,512.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Eddie Plank, with 1.12 to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.