Deacon Phillippe vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Plank has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Deacon Phillippe played 1899–1911 as a pitcher; Eddie Plank played 1901–1917 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
Deacon Phillippe (1899–1911) and Eddie Plank (1901–1917) — breaking in during the 1890s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Deacon Phillippe compiled 189 wins and 929 strikeouts; Eddie Plank put up 326 wins and 2,246 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Deacon Phillippe's 2.59.
- Who won more games? Eddie Plank, with 326 to Deacon Phillippe's 189.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Deacon Phillippe's 929.
- Who had the better WHIP? Deacon Phillippe, with 1.11 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Eddie Plank, with 4,495 to Deacon Phillippe's 2,607.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eddie Plank, with 69 to Deacon Phillippe's 27.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Eddie Plank, with 51,914 career Pitcher PIV to Deacon Phillippe's 35,866.
Deacon Phillippe
Eddie Plank
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Deacon Phillippe | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 189 | Leads: 326 |
| Losses | 109 | 194 |
| Games | 372 | Leads: 623 |
| Games Started | 289 | Leads: 529 |
| Complete Games | 242 | Leads: 410 |
| Shutouts | 27 | Leads: 69 |
| Saves | 12 | Leads: 23 |
| Strikeouts | 929 | Leads: 2,246 |
| Walks | 363 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,518 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 41 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,607 | Leads: 4,495 |
| ERA | 2.59 | Leads: 2.35 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 3.21 | Leads: 4.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.25 | 2.15 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Plank outpaces Deacon Phillippe 51,914 to 35,866 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,054 vs 2,759 per year). 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).
Deacon Phillippe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Eddie Plank — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Plank leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Deacon Phillippe owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Plank. PIV agrees: Eddie Plank grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Deacon Phillippe vs Eddie Plank: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Deacon Phillippe or Eddie Plank?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Plank leads Deacon Phillippe in 10 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Deacon Phillippe's 2.59.
- Who won more games?
- Eddie Plank, with 326 to Deacon Phillippe's 189.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Deacon Phillippe's 929.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Deacon Phillippe, with 1.11 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.