Burleigh Grimes vs Joe Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Burleigh Grimes (1916–1934) and Joe Williams (?–1932) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Burleigh Grimes compiled 270 wins and 1,512 strikeouts; Joe Williams put up 109 wins and 1,033 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Burleigh Grimes
Joe Williams
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 | Burleigh Grimes | Joe Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 270 | 109 |
| Losses | 212 | 59 |
| Games | 616 | 207 |
| Games Started | 497 | 172 |
| Complete Games | 314 | 140 |
| Shutouts | 35 | 14 |
| Saves | 18 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,512 | 1,033 |
| Walks | 1,295 | 339 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,412 | 1,456 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 148 | 26 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,180 | 1,517 |
| ERA | 3.53 | 2.57 |
| WHIP | 1.37 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 3.26 | 6.13 |
| BB/9 | 2.79 | 2.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Williams outpaces Burleigh Grimes 44,974 to 18,821 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,142 vs 818 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).
Burleigh Grimes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Joe Williams — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Williams leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Burleigh Grimes owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Williams. PIV agrees: Joe Williams grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.