Ewell Blackwell vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Hal Newhouser has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ewell Blackwell played 1942–1955 as a pitcher; Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Ewell Blackwell (1942–1955) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — breaking in during the 1940s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Ewell Blackwell finished with 82 wins and 839 strikeouts; Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Ewell Blackwell's 3.30.
- Who won more games? Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Ewell Blackwell's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Ewell Blackwell's 839.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ewell Blackwell, with 1.30 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Hal Newhouser, with 2,993.0 to Ewell Blackwell's 1,321.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to Ewell Blackwell's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Ewell Blackwell's 23,344.
Ewell Blackwell
Hal Newhouser
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1940s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ewell Blackwell | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 82 | Leads: 207 |
| Losses not scored | 78 | 150 |
| Games | 236 | Leads: 488 |
| Games Started | 169 | Leads: 374 |
| Complete Games | 69 | Leads: 212 |
| Shutouts | 15 | Leads: 33 |
| Saves | 10 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | 839 | Leads: 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 562 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,150 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 67 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,321.0 | Leads: 2,993.0 |
| ERA | 3.30 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.30 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.72 | 5.40 |
| BB/9 | 3.83 | Leads: 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Ewell Blackwell 43,492 to 23,344 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,558 PIV per season to 2,122, across 17 seasons to 11. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Ewell Blackwell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Ewell Blackwell owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hal Newhouser. PIV agrees: Hal Newhouser grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ewell Blackwell and Hal Newhouser careers compare
From 1942 through 1955, Ewell Blackwell and Hal Newhouser were in the majors together. The table compares 236 games of Ewell Blackwell with 488 of Hal Newhouser across 11 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Ewell Blackwell's edges on the table are WHIP (1.30 to 1.31) and strikeouts per nine (5.72 to 5.40). The per-nine rows read 5.72 strikeouts and 3.83 walks for Ewell Blackwell, 5.40 and 3.76 for Hal Newhouser. Both had the same role: Ewell Blackwell was mainly a starter (169 starts in 236 games); Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games).
Ewell Blackwell vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ewell Blackwell or Hal Newhouser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hal Newhouser leads Ewell Blackwell in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Ewell Blackwell's 3.30.
- Who won more games?
- Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Ewell Blackwell's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Ewell Blackwell's 839.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ewell Blackwell, with 1.30 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.