Dizzy Dean vs Hilton Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Dizzy Dean 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). Dizzy Dean played 1930–1947 as a pitcher; Hilton Smith played ?–1948 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
Dizzy Dean (1930–1947) and Hilton Smith (?–1948) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Dizzy Dean finished with 150 wins and 1,163 strikeouts; Hilton Smith finished with 71 wins and 628 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hilton Smith, with 2.93 to Dizzy Dean's 3.02.
- Who won more games? Dizzy Dean, with 150 to Hilton Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dizzy Dean, with 1,163 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hilton Smith, with 1.11 to Dizzy Dean's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Dizzy Dean, with 1,967.1 to Hilton Smith's 975.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dizzy Dean, with 26 to Hilton Smith's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dizzy Dean, with 47,994 career Pitcher PIV to Hilton Smith's 37,558.
Dizzy Dean
Hilton Smith
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 | Dizzy Dean | Hilton Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 150 | 71 |
| Losses not scored | 83 | 38 |
| Games | Leads: 317 | 170 |
| Games Started | Leads: 230 | 104 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 154 | 63 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 26 | 8 |
| Saves | Leads: 30 | 16 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,163 | 628 |
| Walks not scored | 453 | 198 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,919 | 883 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 95 | 19 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,967.1 | 975.1 |
| ERA | 3.02 | Leads: 2.93 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 5.79 |
| BB/9 | 2.07 | Leads: 1.83 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dizzy Dean leads Hilton Smith 47,994 to 37,558 — driven by per-season impact — 4,000 PIV per season to 2,504 — rather than by longevity, since Dizzy Dean played 12 seasons to Hilton Smith's 15. 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).
Dizzy Dean — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hilton Smith — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dizzy Dean leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Hilton Smith owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dizzy Dean. PIV agrees: Dizzy Dean grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dizzy Dean and Hilton Smith careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Dizzy Dean's ended in 1947, and Hilton Smith debuted in 1948. The table compares 317 games of Dizzy Dean with 170 of Hilton Smith across 12 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Hilton Smith comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.93 to 3.02), WHIP (1.11 to 1.21), and strikeouts per nine (5.79 to 5.32). By rate, Dizzy Dean struck out 5.32 and walked 2.07 per nine innings; Hilton Smith struck out 5.79 and walked 1.83. Dizzy Dean was mainly a starter (230 starts in 317 games), while Hilton Smith split time between starting and relief (104 starts in 170 games).
Dizzy Dean vs Hilton Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dizzy Dean or Hilton Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dizzy Dean leads Hilton Smith in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hilton Smith, with 2.93 to Dizzy Dean's 3.02.
- Who won more games?
- Dizzy Dean, with 150 to Hilton Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dizzy Dean, with 1,163 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hilton Smith, with 1.11 to Dizzy Dean's 1.21.