Roy Face vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Career Stats Comparison
Hoyt Wilhelm has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Roy Face played 1953–1969 as a pitcher; Hoyt Wilhelm played 1952–1972 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
Roy Face (1953–1969) and Hoyt Wilhelm (1952–1972) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Roy Face finished with 104 wins and 877 strikeouts; Hoyt Wilhelm finished with 143 wins and 1,610 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2.52 to Roy Face's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 143 to Roy Face's 104.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1,610 to Roy Face's 877.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1.12 to Roy Face's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2,254.1 to Roy Face's 1,375.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 5 to Roy Face's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 40,894 career Pitcher PIV to Roy Face's 14,397.
Hoyt Wilhelm
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 | Roy Face | Hoyt Wilhelm |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 104 | Leads: 143 |
| Losses not scored | 95 | 122 |
| Games | 848 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Games Started | 27 | Leads: 52 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 20 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves | 193 | Leads: 227 |
| Strikeouts | 877 | Leads: 1,610 |
| Walks not scored | 362 | 778 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,347 | 1,757 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 141 | 150 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,375.0 | Leads: 2,254.1 |
| ERA | 3.48 | Leads: 2.52 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 5.74 | Leads: 6.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.37 | 3.11 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hoyt Wilhelm outpaces Roy Face 40,894 to 14,397 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,573 PIV per season to 847, across 26 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).
Roy Face — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hoyt Wilhelm — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hoyt Wilhelm leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Roy Face owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hoyt Wilhelm. PIV agrees: Hoyt Wilhelm grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roy Face and Hoyt Wilhelm careers compare
Roy Face and Hoyt Wilhelm were active at the same time between 1953 and 1969. The two careers are close in length, 848 games for Roy Face and 1,070 for Hoyt Wilhelm across 17 and 26 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Roy Face's edges on the table are walks per nine (2.37 to 3.11). By rate, Roy Face struck out 5.74 and walked 2.37 per nine innings; Hoyt Wilhelm struck out 6.43 and walked 3.11. Roy Face worked mostly in relief (27 starts in 848 games, 193 saves), and Hoyt Wilhelm worked mostly in relief (52 starts in 1,070 games, 227 saves).
Roy Face vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Face or Hoyt Wilhelm?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hoyt Wilhelm leads Roy Face in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2.52 to Roy Face's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 143 to Roy Face's 104.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1,610 to Roy Face's 877.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1.12 to Roy Face's 1.24.