Tim Keefe vs Rube Waddell: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Keefe has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tim Keefe played 1880–1893 as a pitcher; Rube Waddell played 1897–1910 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 Rube Waddell (1897–1910) — breaking in during the 1880s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tim Keefe finished with 342 wins and 2,564 strikeouts; Rube Waddell finished with 193 wins and 2,316 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Tim Keefe's 2.63.
- Who won more games? Tim Keefe, with 342 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Rube Waddell's 2,316.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Tim Keefe's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Tim Keefe, with 5,049.2 to Rube Waddell's 2,961.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rube Waddell, with 50 to Tim Keefe's 39.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rube Waddell, with 69,450 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Keefe's 58,200.
Tim Keefe
Rube Waddell
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 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 | Rube Waddell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 342 | 193 |
| Losses not scored | 225 | 143 |
| Games | Leads: 600 | 407 |
| Games Started | Leads: 594 | 340 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 554 | 261 |
| Shutouts | 39 | Leads: 50 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,564 | 2,316 |
| Walks not scored | 1,233 | 803 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,438 | 2,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 75 | 37 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,049.2 | 2,961.1 |
| ERA | 2.63 | Leads: 2.16 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 4.57 | Leads: 7.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.20 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rube Waddell leads Tim Keefe 69,450 to 58,200 — driven by per-season impact — 4,961 PIV per season to 3,880 — rather than by longevity, since Rube Waddell played 14 seasons to Tim Keefe's 15. 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).
Tim Keefe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Rube Waddell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rube Waddell leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tim Keefe owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rube Waddell. PIV agrees: Rube Waddell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tim Keefe and Rube Waddell careers compare
No season is shared: Tim Keefe played 1880–1893, Rube Waddell 1897–1910. The two careers are close in length, 600 games for Tim Keefe and 407 for Rube Waddell across 15 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Tim Keefe struck out 4.57 and walked 2.20 per nine innings; Rube Waddell struck out 7.04 and walked 2.44. Tim Keefe was mainly a starter (594 starts in 600 games), and Rube Waddell was mainly a starter (340 starts in 407 games). In WHIP, Rube Waddell's 1.10 beats Tim Keefe's 1.12.
Tim Keefe vs Rube Waddell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Keefe or Rube Waddell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Keefe leads Rube Waddell in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Tim Keefe's 2.63.
- Who won more games?
- Tim Keefe, with 342 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Rube Waddell's 2,316.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Tim Keefe's 1.12.