Mort Cooper vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Hal Newhouser has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mort Cooper played 1938–1949 as a pitcher; Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 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
Mort Cooper (1938–1949) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — both came up during the 1930s, so the matchup is a direct one. Mort Cooper finished with 128 wins and 913 strikeouts; Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mort Cooper, with 2.97 to Hal Newhouser's 3.06.
- Who won more games? Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Mort Cooper's 128.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Mort Cooper's 913.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mort Cooper, with 1.22 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Hal Newhouser, with 2,993.0 to Mort Cooper's 1,840.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 33.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Mort Cooper's 22,546.
Mort Cooper
Hal Newhouser
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 | Mort Cooper | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 128 | Leads: 207 |
| Losses not scored | 75 | 150 |
| Games | 295 | Leads: 488 |
| Games Started | 239 | Leads: 374 |
| Complete Games | 128 | Leads: 212 |
| Shutouts | 33 | 33 |
| Saves | 14 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | 913 | Leads: 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 571 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,666 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 85 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,840.2 | Leads: 2,993.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.97 | 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.22 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 4.46 | Leads: 5.40 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.79 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Mort Cooper 43,492 to 22,546 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,558 PIV per season to 1,734, across 17 seasons to 13. 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).
Mort Cooper — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Mort Cooper owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hal Newhouser. PIV agrees: Hal Newhouser grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mort Cooper and Hal Newhouser careers compare
Mort Cooper and Hal Newhouser were active at the same time between 1939 and 1949. The table compares 295 games of Mort Cooper with 488 of Hal Newhouser across 13 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Mort Cooper's edges on the table are ERA (2.97 to 3.06), WHIP (1.22 to 1.31), and walks per nine (2.79 to 3.76). By rate, Mort Cooper struck out 4.46 and walked 2.79 per nine innings; Hal Newhouser struck out 5.40 and walked 3.76. Mort Cooper was mainly a starter (239 starts in 295 games), and Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games).
Mort Cooper vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mort Cooper or Hal Newhouser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hal Newhouser leads Mort Cooper in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mort Cooper, with 2.97 to Hal Newhouser's 3.06.
- Who won more games?
- Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Mort Cooper's 128.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Mort Cooper's 913.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mort Cooper, with 1.22 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.