Bill Byrd vs Bob Feller: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Feller has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bill Byrd played ?–1948 as a pitcher; Bob Feller played 1936–1956 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
Bill Byrd (?–1948) and Bob Feller (1936–1956) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Bill Byrd finished with 101 wins and 741 strikeouts; Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Bill Byrd's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Bill Byrd's 101.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Bill Byrd's 741.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bill Byrd, with 1.23 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Feller, with 3,827.0 to Bill Byrd's 1,374.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Bill Byrd's 10.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Feller, with 48,739 career Pitcher PIV to Bill Byrd's 37,111.
Bob Feller
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bill Byrd | Bob Feller |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 101 | Leads: 266 |
| Losses not scored | 68 | 162 |
| Games | 210 | Leads: 570 |
| Games Started | 156 | Leads: 484 |
| Complete Games | 118 | Leads: 279 |
| Shutouts | 10 | Leads: 44 |
| Saves | 11 | Leads: 21 |
| Strikeouts | 741 | Leads: 2,581 |
| Walks not scored | 290 | 1,764 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,394 | 3,271 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 43 | 224 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,374.2 | Leads: 3,827.0 |
| ERA | 3.53 | Leads: 3.25 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 4.85 | Leads: 6.07 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.90 | 4.15 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Feller leads Bill Byrd 48,739 to 37,111 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,708 PIV per season to 2,183, across 18 seasons to 17. 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).
Bill Byrd — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Feller — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Feller leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Bill Byrd owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Feller. PIV agrees: Bob Feller grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bill Byrd and Bob Feller careers compare
From 1948 through 1948, Bill Byrd and Bob Feller were in the majors together. Bob Feller has the far longer record, 570 games against 210 across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Bill Byrd's edges on the table are WHIP (1.23 to 1.32) and walks per nine (1.90 to 4.15). By rate, Bill Byrd struck out 4.85 and walked 1.90 per nine innings; Bob Feller struck out 6.07 and walked 4.15. Bill Byrd was mainly a starter (156 starts in 210 games), and Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games). In WHIP, Bill Byrd's 1.23 beats Bob Feller's 1.32.
Bill Byrd vs Bob Feller: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bill Byrd or Bob Feller?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Feller leads Bill Byrd in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Bill Byrd's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Bill Byrd's 101.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Bill Byrd's 741.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bill Byrd, with 1.23 to Bob Feller's 1.32.