Jim Bunning vs Bob Veale: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Jim Bunning played 1955–1971 as a pitcher; Bob Veale played 1962–1974 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 Bob Veale (1962–1974) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Bunning compiled 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Bob Veale put up 120 wins and 1,703 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Veale, with 3.07 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Jim Bunning, with 224 to Bob Veale's 120.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Bob Veale's 1,703.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Bunning, with 1.18 to Bob Veale's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Bunning, with 3,760 to Bob Veale's 1,926.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Bunning, with 40 to Bob Veale's 20.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jim Bunning, with 44,929 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Veale's 36,615.
Jim Bunning
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 | Bob Veale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 224 | 120 |
| Losses | 184 | 95 |
| Games | Leads: 591 | 397 |
| Games Started | Leads: 519 | 255 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 151 | 78 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 40 | 20 |
| Saves | 16 | Leads: 21 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,855 | 1,703 |
| Walks | 1,000 | 858 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,433 | 1,684 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 372 | 91 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,760 | 1,926 |
| ERA | 3.27 | Leads: 3.07 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 6.83 | Leads: 7.96 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.39 | 4.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Bunning leads Bob Veale 44,929 to 36,615 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,496 vs 2,615 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)
Bob Veale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Bunning leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Bob Veale owns ERA and K/9. 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
Jim Bunning vs Bob Veale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bunning or Bob Veale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Bunning leads Bob Veale in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Veale, with 3.07 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Bunning, with 224 to Bob Veale's 120.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Bob Veale's 1,703.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Bunning, with 1.18 to Bob Veale's 1.32.