Ray Brown 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). Ray Brown played ?–1945 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
Ray Brown (?–1945) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Ray Brown finished with 123 wins and 726 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 Ray Brown's 3.21.
- Who won more games? Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Ray Brown's 123.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Ray Brown's 726.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ray Brown, with 1.24 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Hal Newhouser, with 2,993.0 to Ray Brown's 1,511.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to Ray Brown's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Ray Brown's 30,490.
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ray Brown | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 123 | Leads: 207 |
| Losses not scored | 47 | 150 |
| Games | 224 | Leads: 488 |
| Games Started | 163 | Leads: 374 |
| Complete Games | 142 | Leads: 212 |
| Shutouts | 17 | Leads: 33 |
| Saves | 15 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | 726 | Leads: 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 430 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,437 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 40 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,511.2 | Leads: 2,993.0 |
| ERA | 3.21 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.24 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 4.32 | Leads: 5.40 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.56 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Ray Brown 43,492 to 30,490 — driven by per-season impact — 2,558 PIV per season to 1,794 — rather than by longevity, since Hal Newhouser played 17 seasons to Ray Brown's 17. 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).
Ray Brown — 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 K/9, while Ray Brown owns WHIP. 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 Ray Brown and Hal Newhouser careers compare
From 1945 through 1945, Ray Brown and Hal Newhouser were in the majors together. Hal Newhouser has the far longer record, 488 games against 224 across 17 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Ray Brown's edges on the table are WHIP (1.24 to 1.31) and walks per nine (2.56 to 3.76). By rate, Ray Brown struck out 4.32 and walked 2.56 per nine innings; Hal Newhouser struck out 5.40 and walked 3.76. Both had the same role: Ray Brown was mainly a starter (163 starts in 224 games); Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games). Ray Brown allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.24 WHIP to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
Ray Brown vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ray Brown or Hal Newhouser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hal Newhouser leads Ray Brown in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Ray Brown's 3.21.
- Who won more games?
- Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Ray Brown's 123.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Ray Brown's 726.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ray Brown, with 1.24 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.