Jim Bunning vs Curt Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning (1955–1971) and Curt Simmons (1947–1967) — 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; Curt Simmons put up 193 wins and 1,697 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Jim Bunning
Curt Simmons
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Jim Bunning | Curt Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 224 | 193 |
| Losses | 184 | 183 |
| Games | 591 | 569 |
| Games Started | 519 | 462 |
| Complete Games | 151 | 163 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 36 |
| Saves | 16 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 2,855 | 1,697 |
| Walks | 1,000 | 1,063 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,433 | 3,313 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 372 | 255 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,760 | 3,348 |
| ERA | 3.27 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 6.83 | 4.56 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | 2.86 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Bunning outpaces Curt Simmons 44,929 to 32,211 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,496 vs 1,400 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)
Curt Simmons — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Bunning leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Curt Simmons owns no headline categories. 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.