Unknown Atkinson vs. Cal McLish — Career Comparison

Cal McLish 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. Cal McLish posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4 and WHIP 1.418 compared to 4.5 and 1.000 for Unknown Atkinson. By the career numbers, Cal McLish had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.