Christy Mathewson vs Hilton Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Christy Mathewson has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916 as a pitcher; Hilton Smith played ?–1948 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 Hilton Smith (?–1948) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Christy Mathewson finished with 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts; Hilton Smith finished with 71 wins and 628 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 Hilton Smith's 2.93.
- Who won more games? Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Hilton Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Hilton Smith's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Christy Mathewson, with 4,788.2 to Hilton Smith's 975.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Hilton Smith's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Christy Mathewson, with 82,446 career Pitcher PIV to Hilton Smith's 37,558.
Christy Mathewson
Hilton Smith
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Christy Mathewson | Hilton Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 71 |
| Losses not scored | 188 | 38 |
| Games | Leads: 636 | 170 |
| Games Started | Leads: 552 | 104 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 435 | 63 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 79 | 8 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 16 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,507 | 628 |
| Walks not scored | 848 | 198 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,219 | 883 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 90 | 19 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,788.2 | 975.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.13 | 2.93 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.06 | 1.11 |
| K/9 | 4.71 | Leads: 5.79 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.59 | 1.83 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christy Mathewson outpaces Hilton Smith 82,446 to 37,558 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,580 PIV per season to 2,504, across 18 seasons to 15. 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).
Christy Mathewson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hilton Smith — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Christy Mathewson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Hilton Smith owns K/9. 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
How the Christy Mathewson and Hilton Smith careers compare
No season is shared: Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916, Hilton Smith ?–1948. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Christy Mathewson appeared in 636 games to Hilton Smith's 170. The green cells for Hilton Smith are strikeouts per nine (5.79 to 4.71). By rate, Christy Mathewson struck out 4.71 and walked 1.59 per nine innings; Hilton Smith struck out 5.79 and walked 1.83. Their roles differ: Christy Mathewson was mainly a starter (552 starts in 636 games); Hilton Smith split time between starting and relief (104 starts in 170 games). The complete-game row, 435 against 63, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Christy Mathewson vs Hilton Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Christy Mathewson or Hilton Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Christy Mathewson leads Hilton Smith in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Hilton Smith's 2.93.
- Who won more games?
- Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Hilton Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Hilton Smith's 1.11.