Christy Mathewson vs. Tom McGraw — Career Comparison

Christy Mathewson built a career as a starting pitcher and Tom McGraw as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Tom McGraw posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 0 and WHIP 1.800 compared to 2.13 and 1.058 for Christy Mathewson. By the career numbers, Tom McGraw had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.