Tim Keefe vs Ed Walsh: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Keefe and Ed Walsh are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tim Keefe played 1880–1893 as a pitcher; Ed Walsh played 1904–1917 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 Ed Walsh (1904–1917) — breaking in during the 1880s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tim Keefe finished with 342 wins and 2,564 strikeouts; Ed Walsh finished with 195 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Tim Keefe's 2.63.
- Who won more games? Tim Keefe, with 342 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Ed Walsh's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Tim Keefe's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Tim Keefe, with 5,049.2 to Ed Walsh's 2,964.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Ed Walsh, with 57 to Tim Keefe's 39.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Ed Walsh, with 62,631 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Keefe's 58,200.
Tim Keefe
Ed Walsh
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 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tim Keefe | Ed Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 342 | 195 |
| Losses not scored | 225 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 600 | 430 |
| Games Started | Leads: 594 | 315 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 554 | 250 |
| Shutouts | 39 | Leads: 57 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 35 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,564 | 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 1,233 | 617 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,438 | 2,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 75 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,049.2 | 2,964.1 |
| ERA | 2.63 | Leads: 1.82 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 4.57 | Leads: 5.27 |
| BB/9 | 2.20 | Leads: 1.87 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ed Walsh edges Tim Keefe 62,631 to 58,200 — driven by per-season impact — 4,474 PIV per season to 3,880 — rather than by longevity, since Ed Walsh 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)
Ed Walsh — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ed Walsh 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 Ed Walsh. PIV agrees: Ed Walsh 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 Ed Walsh careers compare
Tim Keefe (1880–1893) was finished before Ed Walsh (1904–1917) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 600 games against 430 across 15 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Tim Keefe struck out 4.57 and walked 2.20 per nine innings; Ed Walsh struck out 5.27 and walked 1.87. Tim Keefe was mainly a starter (594 starts in 600 games), and Ed Walsh was mainly a starter (315 starts in 430 games). In WHIP, Ed Walsh's 1.00 beats Tim Keefe's 1.12.
Tim Keefe vs Ed Walsh: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Tim Keefe's 2.63.
- Who won more games?
- Tim Keefe, with 342 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Ed Walsh's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Tim Keefe's 1.12.