Rube Marquard vs Joe McGinnity: Career Stats Comparison
Joe McGinnity has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rube Marquard played 1908–1925 as a pitcher; Joe McGinnity played 1899–1908 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
Rube Marquard (1908–1925) and Joe McGinnity (1899–1908) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rube Marquard finished with 201 wins and 1,593 strikeouts; Joe McGinnity finished with 246 wins and 1,068 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Joe McGinnity, with 2.66 to Rube Marquard's 3.08.
- Who won more games? Joe McGinnity, with 246 to Rube Marquard's 201.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rube Marquard, with 1,593 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP? Joe McGinnity, with 1.19 to Rube Marquard's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Joe McGinnity, with 3,441.1 to Rube Marquard's 3,306.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Joe McGinnity, with 32 to Rube Marquard's 30.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rube Marquard, with 28,636 career Pitcher PIV to Joe McGinnity's 3,283.
Rube Marquard
Joe McGinnity
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 1900s and the 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rube Marquard | Joe McGinnity |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 201 | Leads: 246 |
| Losses not scored | 177 | 142 |
| Games | Leads: 536 | 465 |
| Games Started | Leads: 404 | 381 |
| Complete Games | 197 | Leads: 314 |
| Shutouts | 30 | Leads: 32 |
| Saves | 19 | Leads: 24 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,593 | 1,068 |
| Walks not scored | 858 | 812 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,233 | 3,276 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 107 | 52 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,306.2 | Leads: 3,441.1 |
| ERA | 3.08 | Leads: 2.66 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.34 | 2.79 |
| BB/9 | 2.34 | Leads: 2.12 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rube Marquard outpaces Joe McGinnity 28,636 to 3,283 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,507 PIV per season to 298, across 19 seasons to 11. 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).
Rube Marquard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Joe McGinnity — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe McGinnity leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Rube Marquard owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe McGinnity. Note that PIV actually grades Rube Marquard ahead, which means Joe McGinnity's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rube Marquard and Joe McGinnity careers compare
Rube Marquard and Joe McGinnity were active at the same time between 1908 and 1908. The two careers are close in length, 536 games for Rube Marquard and 465 for Joe McGinnity across 19 and 11 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Rube Marquard comes out ahead, it is in games (536 to 465), starts (404 to 381), and strikeouts (1,593 to 1,068). The per-nine rows read 4.34 strikeouts and 2.34 walks for Rube Marquard, 2.79 and 2.12 for Joe McGinnity. Rube Marquard was mainly a starter (404 starts in 536 games), and Joe McGinnity was mainly a starter (381 starts in 465 games).
Rube Marquard vs Joe McGinnity: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rube Marquard or Joe McGinnity?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe McGinnity leads Rube Marquard in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe McGinnity, with 2.66 to Rube Marquard's 3.08.
- Who won more games?
- Joe McGinnity, with 246 to Rube Marquard's 201.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rube Marquard, with 1,593 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Joe McGinnity, with 1.19 to Rube Marquard's 1.24.