Rube Marquard vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Plank has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rube Marquard played 1908–1925 as a pitcher; Eddie Plank played 1901–1917 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
Rube Marquard (1908–1925) and Eddie Plank (1901–1917) — both debuted in the 1900s. Rube Marquard finished with 201 wins and 1,593 strikeouts; Eddie Plank finished with 326 wins and 2,246 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Eddie Plank, in 8 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Rube Marquard's 3.08.
- Who won more games? Eddie Plank, with 326 to Rube Marquard's 201.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Rube Marquard's 1,593.
- Who had the better WHIP? Eddie Plank, with 1.12 to Rube Marquard's 1.24.
- How many innings did each pitch? Rube Marquard 3,306.2, Eddie Plank 4,495.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eddie Plank, with 69 to Rube Marquard's 30.
Rube Marquard
Eddie Plank
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rube Marquard | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 201 | Leads: 326 |
| Losses not scored | 177 | 194 |
| Games not scored | 536 | 623 |
| Games Started not scored | 404 | 529 |
| Complete Games | 197 | Leads: 410 |
| Shutouts | 30 | Leads: 69 |
| Saves not scored | 19 | 23 |
| Strikeouts | 1,593 | Leads: 2,246 |
| Walks not scored | 858 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,233 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 107 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,306.2 | 4,495.2 |
| ERA | 3.08 | Leads: 2.35 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 4.34 | Leads: 4.50 |
| BB/9 | 2.34 | Leads: 2.15 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Plank outpaces Rube Marquard 51,914 to 28,636 — driven by per-season impact — 3,054 PIV per season to 1,591 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Plank played 17 seasons to Rube Marquard's 18. 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).
Rube Marquard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Eddie Plank — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Eddie Plank leads 8 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Rube Marquard leads 0: no scored category. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Plank. PIV agrees: Eddie Plank grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rube Marquard and Eddie Plank careers compare
From 1908 through 1917, Rube Marquard and Eddie Plank were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 536 games for Rube Marquard and 623 for Eddie Plank across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Eddie Plank leads every scored row of the table. By rate, Rube Marquard struck out 4.34 and walked 2.34 per nine innings; Eddie Plank struck out 4.50 and walked 2.15. Rube Marquard was mainly a starter (404 starts in 536 games), and Eddie Plank was mainly a starter (529 starts in 623 games). In WHIP, Eddie Plank's 1.12 beats Rube Marquard's 1.24.
Rube Marquard vs Eddie Plank: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rube Marquard or Eddie Plank?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Plank leads Rube Marquard in 8 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Rube Marquard's 3.08.
- Who won more games?
- Eddie Plank, with 326 to Rube Marquard's 201.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Rube Marquard's 1,593.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Eddie Plank, with 1.12 to Rube Marquard's 1.24.