Christy Mathewson vs Deacon Phillippe: Career Stats Comparison
Christy Mathewson has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916 as a pitcher; Deacon Phillippe played 1899–1911 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
Christy Mathewson (1900–1916) and Deacon Phillippe (1899–1911) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Christy Mathewson compiled 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts; Deacon Phillippe put up 189 wins and 929 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Deacon Phillippe's 2.59.
- Who won more games? Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Deacon Phillippe's 189.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Deacon Phillippe's 929.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Deacon Phillippe's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Christy Mathewson, with 4,788 to Deacon Phillippe's 2,607.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Deacon Phillippe's 27.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Christy Mathewson, with 82,446 career Pitcher PIV to Deacon Phillippe's 35,866.
Christy Mathewson
Deacon Phillippe
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Christy Mathewson | Deacon Phillippe |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 189 |
| Losses | 188 | 109 |
| Games | Leads: 636 | 372 |
| Games Started | Leads: 552 | 289 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 435 | 242 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 79 | 27 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 12 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,507 | 929 |
| Walks | 848 | 363 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,219 | 2,518 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 90 | 41 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,788 | 2,607 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.13 | 2.59 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.06 | 1.11 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.71 | 3.21 |
| BB/9 | 1.59 | Leads: 1.25 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christy Mathewson outpaces Deacon Phillippe 82,446 to 35,866 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,580 vs 2,759 per year). 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).
Christy Mathewson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Deacon Phillippe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Christy Mathewson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Deacon Phillippe owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Christy Mathewson. PIV agrees: Christy Mathewson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Christy Mathewson vs Deacon Phillippe: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Christy Mathewson or Deacon Phillippe?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Christy Mathewson leads Deacon Phillippe in 11 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Deacon Phillippe's 2.59.
- Who won more games?
- Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Deacon Phillippe's 189.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Deacon Phillippe's 929.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Deacon Phillippe's 1.11.