Hilton Smith vs Ed Walsh: Career Stats Comparison
Ed Walsh 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). Hilton Smith played ?–1948 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
Hilton Smith (?–1948) and Ed Walsh (1904–1917) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Hilton Smith finished with 71 wins and 628 strikeouts; Ed Walsh finished with 195 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Hilton Smith's 2.93.
- Who won more games? Ed Walsh, with 195 to Hilton Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Ed Walsh, with 1,736 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Hilton Smith's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Ed Walsh, with 2,964.1 to Hilton Smith's 975.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Ed Walsh, with 57 to Hilton Smith's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Ed Walsh, with 62,631 career Pitcher PIV to Hilton Smith's 37,558.
Hilton Smith
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. 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 | Hilton Smith | Ed Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 71 | Leads: 195 |
| Losses not scored | 38 | 126 |
| Games | 170 | Leads: 430 |
| Games Started | 104 | Leads: 315 |
| Complete Games | 63 | Leads: 250 |
| Shutouts | 8 | Leads: 57 |
| Saves | 16 | Leads: 35 |
| Strikeouts | 628 | Leads: 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 198 | 617 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 883 | 2,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 19 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | 975.1 | Leads: 2,964.1 |
| ERA | 2.93 | Leads: 1.82 |
| WHIP | 1.11 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.79 | 5.27 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.83 | 1.87 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ed Walsh outpaces Hilton Smith 62,631 to 37,558 — driven by per-season impact — 4,474 PIV per season to 2,504 — rather than by longevity, since Ed Walsh played 14 seasons to Hilton Smith's 15. 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).
Hilton Smith — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Ed Walsh — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ed Walsh leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Hilton Smith owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ed Walsh. PIV agrees: Ed Walsh grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hilton Smith and Ed Walsh careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Ed Walsh's ended in 1917, and Hilton Smith debuted in 1948. The table compares 170 games of Hilton Smith with 430 of Ed Walsh across 15 and 14 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Hilton Smith comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (5.79 to 5.27) and walks per nine (1.83 to 1.87). By rate, Hilton Smith struck out 5.79 and walked 1.83 per nine innings; Ed Walsh struck out 5.27 and walked 1.87. Their roles differ: Hilton Smith split time between starting and relief (104 starts in 170 games); Ed Walsh was mainly a starter (315 starts in 430 games).
Hilton Smith vs Ed Walsh: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hilton Smith or Ed Walsh?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ed Walsh leads Hilton Smith in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Hilton Smith's 2.93.
- Who won more games?
- Ed Walsh, with 195 to Hilton Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Ed Walsh, with 1,736 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Hilton Smith's 1.11.