Tim Keefe vs Kid Nichols: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Keefe has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tim Keefe played 1880–1893 as a pitcher; Kid Nichols played 1890–1906 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
Tim Keefe (1880–1893) and Kid Nichols (1890–1906) — they debuted in the 1880s and the 1890s respectively, so they played in different run environments. Tim Keefe finished with 342 wins and 2,564 strikeouts; Kid Nichols finished with 362 wins and 1,881 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Tim Keefe, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Tim Keefe, with 2.63 to Kid Nichols's 2.96.
- Who won more games? Kid Nichols, with 362 to Tim Keefe's 342.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Kid Nichols's 1,881.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tim Keefe, with 1.12 to Kid Nichols's 1.22.
- How many innings did each pitch? Tim Keefe 5,049.2, Kid Nichols 5,067.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Kid Nichols, with 48 to Tim Keefe's 39.
Tim Keefe
Kid Nichols
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, and the 1880s and the 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tim Keefe | Kid Nichols |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 342 | Leads: 362 |
| Losses not scored | 225 | 208 |
| Games not scored | 600 | 621 |
| Games Started not scored | 594 | 562 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 554 | 532 |
| Shutouts | 39 | Leads: 48 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 16 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,564 | 1,881 |
| Walks not scored | 1,233 | 1,272 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,438 | 4,929 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 75 | 156 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,049.2 | 5,067.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.63 | 2.96 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.57 | 3.34 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.20 | 2.26 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kid Nichols leads Tim Keefe 64,461 to 58,200 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,297 PIV per season to 4,157, across 15 seasons to 14. 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).
Tim Keefe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Kid Nichols — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Tim Keefe leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and others. Kid Nichols leads 2: wins and shutouts. They played in different eras, and these rows are not era-adjusted. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Keefe. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Kid Nichols higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tim Keefe and Kid Nichols careers compare
From 1890 through 1893, Tim Keefe and Kid Nichols were in the majors together. With 600 games against 621 across 14 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Kid Nichols are wins (362 to 342) and shutouts (48 to 39). The per-nine rows read 4.57 strikeouts and 2.20 walks for Tim Keefe, 3.34 and 2.26 for Kid Nichols. Both had the same role: Tim Keefe was mainly a starter (594 starts in 600 games); Kid Nichols was mainly a starter (562 starts in 621 games). Tim Keefe allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.12 WHIP to Kid Nichols's 1.22.
Tim Keefe vs Kid Nichols: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Keefe or Kid Nichols?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Keefe leads Kid Nichols in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tim Keefe, with 2.63 to Kid Nichols's 2.96.
- Who won more games?
- Kid Nichols, with 362 to Tim Keefe's 342.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Kid Nichols's 1,881.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tim Keefe, with 1.12 to Kid Nichols's 1.22.