Tim Keefe vs Al Spalding: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Keefe (1880–1893) and Al Spalding (1871–1878) — breaking in during the 1880s and the 1870s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tim Keefe compiled 342 wins and 2,564 strikeouts; Al Spalding put up 251 wins and 248 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Tim Keefe
Al Spalding
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 | Tim Keefe | Al Spalding |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 342 | 251 |
| Losses | 225 | 65 |
| Games | 600 | 347 |
| Games Started | 594 | 325 |
| Complete Games | 554 | 279 |
| Shutouts | 39 | 24 |
| Saves | 2 | 13 |
| Strikeouts | 2,564 | 248 |
| Walks | 1,233 | 164 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,438 | 3,280 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 75 | 15 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,049 | 2,886 |
| ERA | 2.63 | 2.13 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | 4.57 | 0.77 |
| BB/9 | 2.20 | 0.51 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Keefe outpaces Al Spalding 58,200 to 8,952 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,880 vs 1,279 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).
Tim Keefe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Al Spalding — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Keefe leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Al Spalding owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Keefe. PIV agrees: Tim Keefe grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.