Paul Derringer vs Hilton Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Derringer (1931–1945) and Hilton Smith (?–1948) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Paul Derringer compiled 223 wins and 1,507 strikeouts; Hilton Smith put up 71 wins and 628 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Paul Derringer
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Paul Derringer | Hilton Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 223 | 71 |
| Losses | 212 | 38 |
| Games | 579 | 170 |
| Games Started | 445 | 104 |
| Complete Games | 251 | 63 |
| Shutouts | 32 | 8 |
| Saves | 29 | 16 |
| Strikeouts | 1,507 | 628 |
| Walks | 761 | 198 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,912 | 883 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 158 | 19 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,645 | 975 |
| ERA | 3.46 | 2.93 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | 1.11 |
| K/9 | 3.72 | 5.79 |
| BB/9 | 1.88 | 1.83 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Derringer outpaces Hilton Smith 67,059 to 37,558 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,191 vs 2,504 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).
Paul Derringer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hilton Smith — top 1 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Derringer 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 Paul Derringer. PIV agrees: Paul Derringer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.