Satchel Paige vs Dazzy Vance: Career Stats Comparison
Dazzy Vance has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Satchel Paige played 1948–1965 as a pitcher; Dazzy Vance played 1915–1935 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
Satchel Paige (1948–1965) and Dazzy Vance (1915–1935) — breaking in during the 1940s and the 1910s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Satchel Paige finished with 143 wins and 1,695 strikeouts; Dazzy Vance finished with 197 wins and 2,045 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Dazzy Vance's 3.24.
- Who won more games? Dazzy Vance, with 197 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dazzy Vance, with 2,045 to Satchel Paige's 1,695.
- Who had the better WHIP? Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Dazzy Vance's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Dazzy Vance, with 2,966.2 to Satchel Paige's 1,962.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dazzy Vance, with 29 to Satchel Paige's 28.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Satchel Paige, with 77,694 career Pitcher PIV to Dazzy Vance's 70,553.
Satchel Paige
Dazzy Vance
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, and the 1940s and the 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Satchel Paige | Dazzy Vance |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 197 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 140 |
| Games | 438 | Leads: 442 |
| Games Started | 226 | Leads: 347 |
| Complete Games | 116 | Leads: 216 |
| Shutouts | 28 | Leads: 29 |
| Saves | Leads: 47 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 1,695 | Leads: 2,045 |
| Walks not scored | 533 | 840 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,647 | 2,809 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 66 | 132 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,962.2 | Leads: 2,966.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.77 | 3.24 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.23 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.77 | 6.20 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.44 | 2.55 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Satchel Paige leads Dazzy Vance 77,694 to 70,553 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Satchel Paige played 28 seasons to Dazzy Vance's 18, while Dazzy Vance carries the higher per-season figure (3,920 to 2,775). 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).
Satchel Paige — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dazzy Vance — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Satchel Paige leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Dazzy Vance owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Satchel Paige. PIV agrees: Satchel Paige grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Satchel Paige and Dazzy Vance careers compare
No season is shared: Dazzy Vance played 1915–1935, Satchel Paige 1948–1965. The two careers are close in length, 438 games for Satchel Paige and 442 for Dazzy Vance across 28 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 7.77 strikeouts and 2.44 walks for Satchel Paige, 6.20 and 2.55 for Dazzy Vance. Their roles differ: Satchel Paige split time between starting and relief (226 starts in 438 games); Dazzy Vance was mainly a starter (347 starts in 442 games). Satchel Paige allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.11 WHIP to Dazzy Vance's 1.23.
Satchel Paige vs Dazzy Vance: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Satchel Paige or Dazzy Vance?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dazzy Vance leads Satchel Paige in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Dazzy Vance's 3.24.
- Who won more games?
- Dazzy Vance, with 197 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dazzy Vance, with 2,045 to Satchel Paige's 1,695.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Dazzy Vance's 1.23.