Doug Bird vs. Rube Waddell — Career Comparison

Doug Bird
Baby BoomersCaliforniaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaKansas City RoyalsAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher
Rube Waddell
Pre-GenerationalPennsylvaniaThrows LeftBats RightNorth AmericaPhiladelphia AthleticsAmerican LeagueHall of FameStarting Pitcher

Rube Waddell built a career as a starting pitcher and Doug Bird as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Rube Waddell posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.16 and WHIP 1.102 compared to 3.99 and 1.339 for Doug Bird. By the career numbers, Rube Waddell had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Doug Bird and Rube Waddell

Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
11
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
13
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
432
3.2
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
407
1.24
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
100
0.74
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
340
1.03
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
73
0.54
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
193
0.59
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
60
0.44
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
143
0.43
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
54.89
54.89
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
57.44
57.44
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
23.15
23.15
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
83.54
83.54
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
0.06
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
261
0.79
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.02
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
50
0.15
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
60
0.44
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
0.02
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
538
3.99
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
711
2.16
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.99
3.99
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.16
2.16
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.75
3.75
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.38
2.38
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.97
3.97
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.53
2.53
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.273
0.273
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.228
0.228
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
3641
27
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8884
27
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
1213.2
9
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2961.1
9
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1273
9.44
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2460
7.48
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
9.44
9.44
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.48
7.48
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
122
0.9
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37
0.11
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.9
0.9
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.11
0.11
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.28
0.28
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
296
2.2
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
803
2.44
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
56
0.42
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.2
2.2
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.44
2.44
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
680
5.04
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2316
7.04
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.04
5.04
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.04
7.04
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.57
1.57
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.69
5.69
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.804
0.804
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.053
1.053
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
23
0.17
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
74
0.22
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
22
0.16
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
115
0.35
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.01
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
5104
37.85
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
11717
35.61
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
199
1.48
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
54
0.16
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
590
4.38
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1063
3.23
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.38
4.38
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.23
3.23
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
51
0.38
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
63
0.47
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97
0.72
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.293
1.293
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.102
1.102
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4672
34.65
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10799
32.82
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.37
1.37
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.61
2.61
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.297
0.297
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.287
0.287
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37.85
37.85
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
35.61
35.61

Fielding Stats for Doug Bird and Rube Waddell

Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
11
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
13
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
432
3.2
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
408
1.24
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
0.74
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
213
0.65
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
3641
27
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8904
27
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
1213.2
9
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2968
9
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
94
0.7
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
176
0.53
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
124
0.92
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
740
2.24
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.04
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
91
0.28
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
223
1.65
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1007
3.05
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
218
1.62
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
916
2.78
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.76
97.76
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
90.96
90.96
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.505
0.505
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.245
2.245
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
23.15
23.15
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
52.21
52.21
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
11
0.08
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
17
0.05
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Doug Bird and Rube Waddell

Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
11
11
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13
13
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
432
2880
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 600 PA
410
216.36
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
90
600
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
1137
600
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
82
546.67
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1066
562.53
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.134
0.134
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.161
0.161
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.356
0.356
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.444
0.444
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
11
73.33
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
172
90.77
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
10
66.67
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
129
68.07
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
1
6.67
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
29
15.3
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
10
5.28
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
2.11
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
1
6.67
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
43
22.69
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.091
0.091
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.25
0.25
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.004
0.004
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.023
0.023
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
1.65
10.98
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
50.21
26.5
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
12
80
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
233
122.96
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
13
86.67
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
220
116.09
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.155
0.155
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.198
0.198
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.146
0.146
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.219
0.219
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.301
0.301
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.416
0.416
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.012
0.012
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.057
0.057
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.106
0.106
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.144
0.144
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.194
0.194
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.321
0.321
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.234
0.234
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 600 PA
0.221
0.221
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
1
6.67
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
61
32.19
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
3
20
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
83
43.8
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
4
26.67
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
140
73.88
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
-0.41
-2.7
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
37.89
19.99
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
3.17
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
2
13.33
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
42
22.16
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
35
233.33
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 600 PAverified
300
158.31
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
2.57
2.57
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3.79
3.79
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.06
0.06
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.14
0.14
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PAverified
6
40
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
23
12.14
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
1
6.67
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
3.17
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
3.17
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100