Christy Mathewson vs Joe Williams: 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; Joe Williams played ?–1932 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 Joe Williams (?–1932) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Christy Mathewson finished with 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts; Joe Williams finished with 109 wins and 1,033 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 Joe Williams's 2.57.
- Who won more games? Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Joe Williams's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Christy Mathewson, with 4,788.2 to Joe Williams's 1,517.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Joe Williams's 14.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Christy Mathewson, with 82,446 career Pitcher PIV to Joe Williams's 44,974.
Christy Mathewson
Joe Williams
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 | Joe Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 109 |
| Losses not scored | 188 | 59 |
| Games | Leads: 636 | 207 |
| Games Started | Leads: 552 | 172 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 435 | 140 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 79 | 14 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,507 | 1,033 |
| Walks not scored | 848 | 339 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,219 | 1,456 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 90 | 26 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,788.2 | 1,517.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.13 | 2.57 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.06 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 4.71 | Leads: 6.13 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.59 | 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christy Mathewson outpaces Joe Williams 82,446 to 44,974 — driven by per-season impact — 4,580 PIV per season to 2,142 — rather than by longevity, since Christy Mathewson played 18 seasons to Joe Williams's 21. 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)
Joe Williams — 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 Joe Williams 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 Joe Williams careers compare
No season is shared: Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916, Joe Williams ?–1932. Christy Mathewson has the far longer record, 636 games against 207 across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Joe Williams's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (6.13 to 4.71). By rate, Christy Mathewson struck out 4.71 and walked 1.59 per nine innings; Joe Williams struck out 6.13 and walked 2.01. Both had the same role: Christy Mathewson was mainly a starter (552 starts in 636 games); Joe Williams was mainly a starter (172 starts in 207 games). Complete games (435 to 140) show how differently the two eras used starters.
Christy Mathewson vs Joe Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Christy Mathewson or Joe Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Christy Mathewson leads Joe Williams in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Joe Williams's 2.57.
- Who won more games?
- Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Joe Williams's 1.18.