Sumner Bowman vs. Bill Williams — Career Comparison

Bill Williams built a career as a starting pitcher and Sumner Bowman as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bill Williams posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.06 and WHIP 1.313 compared to 5.22 and 1.861 for Sumner Bowman. By the career numbers, Bill Williams had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.