Ken Ray vs. Ford Smith — Career Comparison

Ken Ray
Gen XGeorgiaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaAtlanta BravesNational LeagueRelief Pitcher
Ford Smith
Greatest GenerationArizonaThrows RightBats SwitchNorth AmericaKansas City MonarchsNegro American LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star

Ford Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and Ken Ray as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ford Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.37 and WHIP 1.115 compared to 5.13 and 1.734 for Ken Ray. By the career numbers, Ford Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Ken Ray and Ford Smith

Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
4
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
82
9.34
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
28
1.38
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
0.89
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.23
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.69
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.11
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.3
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
66.67
66.67
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
70
70
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
64.29
64.29
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.64
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.15
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.57
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.1
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
45
5.13
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
48
2.37
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.13
5.13
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.37
2.37
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.84
5.84
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.38
2.38
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.25
5.25
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.01
3.01
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.292
0.292
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.227
0.227
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
237
27
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
546
27
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
79
9
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
182
9
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
89
10.14
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
150
7.42
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
10.14
10.14
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.42
7.42
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
1.25
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.15
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.25
1.25
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.15
0.15
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.13
0.13
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.11
0.11
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
44
5.01
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
53
2.62
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.46
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.01
5.01
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.62
2.62
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
50
5.7
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
109
5.39
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.7
5.7
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.39
5.39
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.61
0.61
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.89
3.89
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.19
1.19
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.89
0.89
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.15
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.11
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
0.35
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
356
40.56
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
737
36.45
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
33
3.76
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
0.49
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
48
5.47
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
62
3.07
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.47
5.47
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.07
3.07
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.46
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
0.74
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.23
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
11
1.25
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
21
1.04
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.684
1.684
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.115
1.115
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
305
34.75
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
662
32.74
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.59
0.59
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.21
2.21
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.32
0.32
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.267
0.267
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
40.56
40.56
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
36.45
36.45

Fielding Stats for Ken Ray and Ford Smith

Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
4
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
82
9.34
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
54
1.29
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
39
0.93
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
237
27
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1128
27
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
79
9
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
376
9
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.68
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
35
0.84
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
1.03
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
56
1.34
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
0.17
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
1.71
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
98
2.35
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
1.71
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
91
2.18
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
92.86
92.86
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.183
0.183
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.685
1.685
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72.22
72.22
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.23
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6
0.14
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ken Ray
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Ken Ray and Ford Smith

Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
2
2
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
4
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
82
49200
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
63
219.77
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
1
600
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
172
600
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
600
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
157
547.67
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.236
0.236
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.634
0.634
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
37
129.07
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
26
90.7
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9
31.4
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
3.49
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
3.49
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11
38.37
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.297
0.297
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.006
0.006
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.027
0.027
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
15.54
54.21
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
51
177.91
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
49
170.93
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.29
0.29
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.325
0.325
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.615
0.615
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.089
0.089
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.212
0.212
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.525
0.525
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.232
0.232
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
23
80.23
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
29
101.16
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
51
177.91
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
-0.1
-60
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16.85
58.77
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
3.49
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11
38.37
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ken Ray
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
3.49
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
172
172
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11
11
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
10.47
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ken Ray
Career
Per 600 PA
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA