Wilbur Cooper vs. Unknown Phelps — Career Comparison

Wilbur Cooper built a career as a starting pitcher and Unknown Phelps as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Unknown Phelps posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 0 and WHIP 0.750 compared to 2.89 and 1.226 for Wilbur Cooper. By the career numbers, Unknown Phelps had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.