Phil Bickford vs. Rube Walberg — Career Comparison

Rube Walberg built a career as a starting pitcher and Phil Bickford as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Rube Walberg posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.16 and WHIP 1.447 compared to 4.62 and 1.302 for Phil Bickford. By the career numbers, Rube Walberg had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.