Jim Bunning vs Satchel Paige: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Jim Bunning played 1955–1971 as a pitcher; Satchel Paige played 1948–1965 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 Satchel Paige (1948–1965) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Bunning compiled 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Satchel Paige put up 143 wins and 1,695 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Jim Bunning, with 224 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Satchel Paige's 1,695.
- Who had the better WHIP? Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Jim Bunning's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Bunning, with 3,760 to Satchel Paige's 1,962.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Bunning, with 40 to Satchel Paige's 28.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Satchel Paige, with 77,694 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Bunning's 44,929.
Jim Bunning
Satchel Paige
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Jim Bunning | Satchel Paige |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 224 | 143 |
| Losses | 184 | 89 |
| Games | Leads: 591 | 438 |
| Games Started | Leads: 519 | 226 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 151 | 116 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 40 | 28 |
| Saves | 16 | Leads: 47 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,855 | 1,695 |
| Walks | 1,000 | 533 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,433 | 1,647 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 372 | 66 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,760 | 1,962 |
| ERA | 3.27 | Leads: 2.77 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 6.83 | Leads: 7.77 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.39 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Satchel Paige outpaces Jim Bunning 77,694 to 44,929 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,775 vs 2,496 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Satchel Paige — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Satchel Paige leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Jim Bunning owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Satchel Paige. PIV agrees: Satchel Paige grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Jim Bunning vs Satchel Paige: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bunning or Satchel Paige?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Bunning leads Satchel Paige in 8 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Bunning, with 224 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Satchel Paige's 1,695.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Jim Bunning's 1.18.