Eddie Plank vs Ed Walsh: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Plank and Ed Walsh are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Eddie Plank played 1901–1917 as a pitcher; Ed Walsh played 1904–1917 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
Eddie Plank (1901–1917) and Ed Walsh (1904–1917) — both debuted in the 1900s. Eddie Plank finished with 326 wins and 2,246 strikeouts; Ed Walsh finished with 195 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Eddie Plank's 2.35.
- Who won more games? Eddie Plank, with 326 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Ed Walsh's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.
- How many innings did each pitch? Eddie Plank 4,495.2, Ed Walsh 2,964.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eddie Plank, with 69 to Ed Walsh's 57.
Eddie Plank
Ed Walsh
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 | Eddie Plank | Ed Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 326 | 195 |
| Losses not scored | 194 | 126 |
| Games not scored | 623 | 430 |
| Games Started not scored | 529 | 315 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 410 | 250 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 69 | 57 |
| Saves not scored | 23 | 35 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,246 | 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 1,072 | 617 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,958 | 2,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 42 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,495.2 | 2,964.1 |
| ERA | 2.35 | Leads: 1.82 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 4.50 | Leads: 5.27 |
| BB/9 | 2.15 | Leads: 1.87 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ed Walsh leads Eddie Plank 62,631 to 51,914 — driven by per-season impact — 4,474 PIV per season to 3,054 — rather than by longevity, since Ed Walsh played 14 seasons to Eddie Plank's 17. 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).
Eddie Plank — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Ed Walsh — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Eddie Plank and Ed Walsh split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Ed Walsh higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Eddie Plank and Ed Walsh careers compare
From 1904 through 1917, Eddie Plank and Ed Walsh were in the majors together. With 623 games against 430 across 17 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Ed Walsh comes out ahead, it is in ERA (1.82 to 2.35), WHIP (1.00 to 1.12), and strikeouts per nine (5.27 to 4.50). The per-nine rows read 4.50 strikeouts and 2.15 walks for Eddie Plank, 5.27 and 1.87 for Ed Walsh. Both had the same role: Eddie Plank was mainly a starter (529 starts in 623 games); Ed Walsh was mainly a starter (315 starts in 430 games). In WHIP, Ed Walsh's 1.00 beats Eddie Plank's 1.12.
Eddie Plank vs Ed Walsh: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Plank or Ed Walsh?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Eddie Plank's 2.35.
- Who won more games?
- Eddie Plank, with 326 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Ed Walsh's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.