Christy Mathewson vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
Christy Mathewson 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). Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916 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
Christy Mathewson (1900–1916) and Eddie Plank (1901–1917) — both debuted in the 1900s. Christy Mathewson finished with 373 wins and 2,507 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? Christy Mathewson, in 8 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Eddie Plank's 2.35.
- Who won more games? Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Eddie Plank's 326.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Eddie Plank's 2,246.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.
- How many innings did each pitch? Christy Mathewson 4,788.2, Eddie Plank 4,495.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Eddie Plank's 69.
Christy Mathewson
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 | Christy Mathewson | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 326 |
| Losses not scored | 188 | 194 |
| Games not scored | 636 | 623 |
| Games Started not scored | 552 | 529 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 435 | 410 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 79 | 69 |
| Saves not scored | 29 | 23 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,507 | 2,246 |
| Walks not scored | 848 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,219 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 90 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,788.2 | 4,495.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.13 | 2.35 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.06 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.71 | 4.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.59 | 2.15 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christy Mathewson outpaces Eddie Plank 82,446 to 51,914 — driven by per-season impact — 4,850 PIV per season to 3,054 — rather than by longevity, since Christy Mathewson played 17 seasons to Eddie Plank's 17. 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)
Eddie Plank — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Christy Mathewson leads 8 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Eddie Plank leads 0: no scored category. 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
How the Christy Mathewson and Eddie Plank careers compare
From 1901 through 1916, Christy Mathewson and Eddie Plank were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 636 games for Christy Mathewson and 623 for Eddie Plank across 17 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Christy Mathewson leads every scored row of the table. By rate, Christy Mathewson struck out 4.71 and walked 1.59 per nine innings; Eddie Plank struck out 4.50 and walked 2.15. Christy Mathewson was mainly a starter (552 starts in 636 games), and Eddie Plank was mainly a starter (529 starts in 623 games). Christy Mathewson allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.06 WHIP to Eddie Plank's 1.12.
Christy Mathewson vs Eddie Plank: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Christy Mathewson or Eddie Plank?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Christy Mathewson leads Eddie Plank in 8 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Eddie Plank's 2.35.
- Who won more games?
- Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Eddie Plank's 326.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Eddie Plank's 2,246.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.