Jim Bunning vs Bob Veale: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 10 seasons. Jim Bunning finished with 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Bob Veale finished with 120 wins and 1,703 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Jim Bunning, in 6 of the 8 scored 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.
- How many innings did each pitch? Jim Bunning 3,760.1, Bob Veale 1,926.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Bunning, with 40 to Bob Veale's 20.
Jim Bunning
Bob Veale
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Jim Bunning | Bob Veale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 224 | 120 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 95 |
| Games not scored | 591 | 397 |
| Games Started not scored | 519 | 255 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 151 | 78 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 40 | 20 |
| Saves not scored | 16 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,855 | 1,703 |
| Walks not scored | 1,000 | 858 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,433 | 1,684 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 372 | 91 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,760.1 | 1,926.0 |
| 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 longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jim Bunning played 17 seasons to Bob Veale's 13, while Bob Veale carries the higher per-season figure (2,817 to 2,643). 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
Jim Bunning leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Bob Veale leads 2: ERA and strikeouts per nine. 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 Bob Veale careers compare
Jim Bunning and Bob Veale were active at the same time between 1962 and 1971. The two careers are close in length, 591 games for Jim Bunning and 397 for Bob Veale across 17 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Bob Veale are ERA (3.07 to 3.27) and strikeouts per nine (7.96 to 6.83). The per-nine rows read 6.83 strikeouts and 2.39 walks for Jim Bunning, 7.96 and 4.01 for Bob Veale. Jim Bunning was mainly a starter (519 starts in 591 games), while Bob Veale split time between starting and relief (255 starts in 397 games).
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 6 of the 8 scored 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.