Walter Johnson vs Jack Quinn: Career Stats Comparison
Walter Johnson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Walter Johnson played 1907–1927 as a pitcher; Jack Quinn played 1909–1933 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
Walter Johnson (1907–1927) and Jack Quinn (1909–1933) — both debuted in the 1900s. Walter Johnson finished with 417 wins and 3,509 strikeouts; Jack Quinn finished with 247 wins and 1,329 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Walter Johnson, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Walter Johnson, with 2.17 to Jack Quinn's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Walter Johnson, with 417 to Jack Quinn's 247.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Walter Johnson, with 3,509 to Jack Quinn's 1,329.
- Who had the better WHIP? Walter Johnson, with 1.06 to Jack Quinn's 1.30.
- How many innings did each pitch? Walter Johnson 5,914.2, Jack Quinn 3,920.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Walter Johnson, with 110 to Jack Quinn's 28.
Walter Johnson
Jack Quinn
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Walter Johnson | Jack Quinn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 417 | 247 |
| Losses not scored | 279 | 218 |
| Games not scored | 802 | 756 |
| Games Started not scored | 666 | 444 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 531 | 243 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 110 | 28 |
| Saves not scored | 34 | 57 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,509 | 1,329 |
| Walks not scored | 1,363 | 860 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,913 | 4,238 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 97 | 102 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,914.2 | 3,920.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.17 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.06 | 1.30 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.34 | 3.05 |
| BB/9 | 2.07 | Leads: 1.97 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Walter Johnson outpaces Jack Quinn 124,021 to 38,930 — driven by per-season impact — 5,906 PIV per season to 1,693 — rather than by longevity, since Walter Johnson played 21 seasons to Jack Quinn's 23. 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).
Walter Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jack Quinn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Walter Johnson leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Jack Quinn leads 1: walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Walter Johnson. PIV agrees: Walter Johnson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Walter Johnson and Jack Quinn careers compare
From 1909 through 1927, Walter Johnson and Jack Quinn were in the majors together. With 802 games against 756 across 21 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Jack Quinn comes out ahead, it is in walks per nine (1.97 to 2.07). By rate, Walter Johnson struck out 5.34 and walked 2.07 per nine innings; Jack Quinn struck out 3.05 and walked 1.97. Their roles differ: Walter Johnson was mainly a starter (666 starts in 802 games); Jack Quinn split time between starting and relief (444 starts in 756 games). Walter Johnson allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.06 WHIP to Jack Quinn's 1.30.
Walter Johnson vs Jack Quinn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Walter Johnson or Jack Quinn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Walter Johnson leads Jack Quinn in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Walter Johnson, with 2.17 to Jack Quinn's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Walter Johnson, with 417 to Jack Quinn's 247.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Walter Johnson, with 3,509 to Jack Quinn's 1,329.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Walter Johnson, with 1.06 to Jack Quinn's 1.30.