Tim Keefe vs Vic Willis: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Keefe has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Vic Willis played 1898–1910 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 Vic Willis (1898–1910) — 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; Vic Willis finished with 249 wins and 1,651 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Neither — both are at 2.63.
- Who won more games? Tim Keefe, with 342 to Vic Willis's 249.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Vic Willis's 1,651.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tim Keefe, with 1.12 to Vic Willis's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Tim Keefe, with 5,049.2 to Vic Willis's 3,996.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Vic Willis, with 50 to Tim Keefe's 39.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tim Keefe, with 58,200 career Pitcher PIV to Vic Willis's 6,893.
Tim Keefe
Vic Willis
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 | Vic Willis |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 342 | 249 |
| Losses not scored | 225 | 205 |
| Games | Leads: 600 | 513 |
| Games Started | Leads: 594 | 471 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 554 | 388 |
| Shutouts | 39 | Leads: 50 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 11 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,564 | 1,651 |
| Walks not scored | 1,233 | 1,212 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,438 | 3,621 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 75 | 66 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,049.2 | 3,996.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.63 | 2.63 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.21 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.57 | 3.72 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.20 | 2.73 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Keefe outpaces Vic Willis 58,200 to 6,893 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,880 PIV per season to 530, across 15 seasons to 13. 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)
Vic Willis — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Keefe leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Vic Willis owns no headline categories. 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.
Related Matchups
How the Tim Keefe and Vic Willis careers compare
No season is shared: Tim Keefe played 1880–1893, Vic Willis 1898–1910. With 600 games against 513 across 15 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Vic Willis comes out ahead, it is in shutouts (50 to 39) and saves (11 to 2). The per-nine rows read 4.57 strikeouts and 2.20 walks for Tim Keefe, 3.72 and 2.73 for Vic Willis. Both had the same role: Tim Keefe was mainly a starter (594 starts in 600 games); Vic Willis was mainly a starter (471 starts in 513 games). In WHIP, Tim Keefe's 1.12 beats Vic Willis's 1.21.
Tim Keefe vs Vic Willis: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Keefe or Vic Willis?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Keefe leads Vic Willis in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Neither — both are at 2.63.
- Who won more games?
- Tim Keefe, with 342 to Vic Willis's 249.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Vic Willis's 1,651.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tim Keefe, with 1.12 to Vic Willis's 1.21.