Unknown Atkinson vs. Addie Joss — Career Comparison

Addie Joss built a career as a starting pitcher and Unknown Atkinson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Addie Joss posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 1.89 and WHIP 0.968 compared to 4.5 and 1.000 for Unknown Atkinson. By the career numbers, Addie Joss had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.