Eddie Plank vs Joe Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Plank has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Eddie Plank played 1901–1917 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
Eddie Plank (1901–1917) and Joe Williams (?–1932) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Eddie Plank finished with 326 wins and 2,246 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? Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Joe Williams's 2.57.
- Who won more games? Eddie Plank, with 326 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP? Eddie Plank, with 1.12 to Joe Williams's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Eddie Plank, with 4,495.2 to Joe Williams's 1,517.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eddie Plank, with 69 to Joe Williams's 14.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Eddie Plank, with 51,914 career Pitcher PIV to Joe Williams's 44,974.
Eddie Plank
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 | Eddie Plank | Joe Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 326 | 109 |
| Losses not scored | 194 | 59 |
| Games | Leads: 623 | 207 |
| Games Started | Leads: 529 | 172 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 410 | 140 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 69 | 14 |
| Saves | Leads: 23 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,246 | 1,033 |
| Walks not scored | 1,072 | 339 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,958 | 1,456 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 42 | 26 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,495.2 | 1,517.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.35 | 2.57 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 4.50 | Leads: 6.13 |
| BB/9 | 2.15 | Leads: 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Plank leads Joe Williams 51,914 to 44,974 — driven by per-season impact — 3,054 PIV per season to 2,142 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Plank played 17 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).
Eddie Plank — 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, Eddie Plank 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 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
How the Eddie Plank and Joe Williams careers compare
No season is shared: Eddie Plank played 1901–1917, Joe Williams ?–1932. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Eddie Plank appeared in 623 games to Joe Williams's 207. The green cells for Joe Williams are strikeouts per nine (6.13 to 4.50) and walks per nine (2.01 to 2.15). The per-nine rows read 4.50 strikeouts and 2.15 walks for Eddie Plank, 6.13 and 2.01 for Joe Williams. Both had the same role: Eddie Plank was mainly a starter (529 starts in 623 games); Joe Williams was mainly a starter (172 starts in 207 games). In WHIP, Eddie Plank's 1.12 beats Joe Williams's 1.18.
Eddie Plank vs Joe Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Plank or Joe Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Plank leads Joe Williams in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Joe Williams's 2.57.
- Who won more games?
- Eddie Plank, with 326 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Eddie Plank, with 1.12 to Joe Williams's 1.18.