Kid Nichols vs Rube Waddell: Career Stats Comparison
Rube Waddell has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Kid Nichols played 1890–1906 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
Kid Nichols (1890–1906) and Rube Waddell (1897–1910) — both debuted in the 1890s. Kid Nichols finished with 362 wins and 1,881 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? Rube Waddell, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Kid Nichols's 2.96.
- Who won more games? Kid Nichols, with 362 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Kid Nichols's 1,881.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Kid Nichols's 1.22.
- How many innings did each pitch? Kid Nichols 5,067.1, Rube Waddell 2,961.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rube Waddell, with 50 to Kid Nichols's 48.
Kid Nichols
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 | Kid Nichols | Rube Waddell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 362 | 193 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 143 |
| Games not scored | 621 | 407 |
| Games Started not scored | 562 | 340 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 532 | 261 |
| Shutouts | 48 | Leads: 50 |
| Saves not scored | 16 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,881 | Leads: 2,316 |
| Walks not scored | 1,272 | 803 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,929 | 2,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 156 | 37 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,067.1 | 2,961.1 |
| ERA | 2.96 | Leads: 2.16 |
| WHIP | 1.22 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 3.34 | Leads: 7.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.26 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rube Waddell edges Kid Nichols 69,450 to 64,461 — driven by per-season impact — 5,342 PIV per season to 4,297 — rather than by longevity, since Rube Waddell played 13 seasons to Kid Nichols's 15. 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).
Kid Nichols — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Rube Waddell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Rube Waddell leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and others. Kid Nichols leads 3: wins, complete games, and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rube Waddell. PIV agrees: Rube Waddell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kid Nichols and Rube Waddell careers compare
Kid Nichols and Rube Waddell were active at the same time between 1897 and 1906. The table compares 621 games of Kid Nichols with 407 of Rube Waddell across 15 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Kid Nichols comes out ahead, it is in wins (362 to 193), complete games (532 to 261), and walks per nine (2.26 to 2.44). The per-nine rows read 3.34 strikeouts and 2.26 walks for Kid Nichols, 7.04 and 2.44 for Rube Waddell. Both had the same role: Kid Nichols was mainly a starter (562 starts in 621 games); Rube Waddell was mainly a starter (340 starts in 407 games).
Kid Nichols vs Rube Waddell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kid Nichols or Rube Waddell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rube Waddell leads Kid Nichols in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Kid Nichols's 2.96.
- Who won more games?
- Kid Nichols, with 362 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Kid Nichols's 1,881.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Kid Nichols's 1.22.