Christy Mathewson vs Rube Waddell: Career Stats Comparison
Christy Mathewson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Rube Waddell played 1897–1910 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 Rube Waddell (1897–1910) — they debuted in the 1900s and the 1890s respectively and share 11 seasons. Christy Mathewson finished with 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts; Rube Waddell finished with 193 wins and 2,316 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Christy Mathewson, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Rube Waddell's 2.16.
- Who won more games? Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Rube Waddell's 2,316.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Rube Waddell's 1.10.
- How many innings did each pitch? Christy Mathewson 4,788.2, Rube Waddell 2,961.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Rube Waddell's 50.
Christy Mathewson
Rube Waddell
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 | Rube Waddell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 193 |
| Losses not scored | 188 | 143 |
| Games not scored | 636 | 407 |
| Games Started not scored | 552 | 340 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 435 | 261 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 79 | 50 |
| Saves not scored | 29 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,507 | 2,316 |
| Walks not scored | 848 | 803 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,219 | 2,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 90 | 37 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,788.2 | 2,961.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.13 | 2.16 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.06 | 1.10 |
| K/9 | 4.71 | Leads: 7.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.59 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christy Mathewson leads Rube Waddell 82,446 to 69,450 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Christy Mathewson played 17 seasons to Rube Waddell's 13, while Rube Waddell carries the higher per-season figure (5,342 to 4,850). 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)
Rube Waddell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Christy Mathewson leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Rube Waddell leads 1: strikeouts per nine. 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 Rube Waddell careers compare
Christy Mathewson and Rube Waddell were active at the same time between 1900 and 1910. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Christy Mathewson appeared in 636 games to Rube Waddell's 407. Where Rube Waddell comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (7.04 to 4.71). By rate, Christy Mathewson struck out 4.71 and walked 1.59 per nine innings; Rube Waddell struck out 7.04 and walked 2.44. Christy Mathewson was mainly a starter (552 starts in 636 games), and Rube Waddell was mainly a starter (340 starts in 407 games). In WHIP, Christy Mathewson's 1.06 beats Rube Waddell's 1.10.
Christy Mathewson vs Rube Waddell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Christy Mathewson or Rube Waddell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Christy Mathewson leads Rube Waddell in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Rube Waddell's 2.16.
- Who won more games?
- Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Rube Waddell's 2,316.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Rube Waddell's 1.10.