Jim Bunning vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jim Bunning played 1955–1971 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
Jim Bunning (1955–1971) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Bunning finished with 224 wins and 2,855 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 Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Jim Bunning, with 224 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Bunning, with 1.18 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Bunning, with 3,760.1 to Hal Newhouser's 2,993.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Bunning, with 40 to Hal Newhouser's 33.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jim Bunning, with 44,929 career Pitcher PIV to Hal Newhouser's 43,492.
Jim Bunning
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 1950s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Bunning | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 224 | 207 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 591 | 488 |
| Games Started | Leads: 519 | 374 |
| Complete Games | 151 | Leads: 212 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 40 | 33 |
| Saves | 16 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,855 | 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 1,000 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,433 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 372 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,760.1 | 2,993.0 |
| ERA | 3.27 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.83 | 5.40 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.39 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Bunning edges Hal Newhouser 44,929 to 43,492 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jim Bunning played 18 seasons to Hal Newhouser's 17, while Hal Newhouser carries the higher per-season figure (2,558 to 2,496). 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).
Jim Bunning — 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, Jim Bunning leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Hal Newhouser owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Bunning. PIV agrees: Jim Bunning grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Bunning and Hal Newhouser careers compare
From 1955 through 1955, Jim Bunning and Hal Newhouser were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 591 games for Jim Bunning and 488 for Hal Newhouser across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Hal Newhouser's edges on the table are complete games (212 to 151), saves (26 to 16), and ERA (3.06 to 3.27). The per-nine rows read 6.83 strikeouts and 2.39 walks for Jim Bunning, 5.40 and 3.76 for Hal Newhouser. Jim Bunning was mainly a starter (519 starts in 591 games), and Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games).
Jim Bunning vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bunning or Hal Newhouser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Bunning leads Hal Newhouser in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Bunning, with 224 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Bunning, with 1.18 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.