Bob Feller vs Bob Gibson: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Feller played 1936–1956 as a pitcher; Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 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
Bob Feller (1936–1956) and Bob Gibson (1959–1975) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Bob Feller's 2,581.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Gibson, with 3,884.1 to Bob Feller's 3,827.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Bob Feller's 44.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Gibson, with 69,720 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Feller's 48,739.
Bob Feller
Bob Gibson
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, and the 1930s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Bob Gibson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 266 | 251 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 174 |
| Games | Leads: 570 | 528 |
| Games Started | Leads: 484 | 482 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 255 |
| Shutouts | 44 | Leads: 56 |
| Saves | Leads: 21 | 6 |
| Strikeouts | 2,581 | Leads: 3,117 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 1,336 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 3,279 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 257 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,827.0 | Leads: 3,884.1 |
| ERA | 3.25 | Leads: 2.91 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | 6.07 | Leads: 7.22 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 3.10 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson outpaces Bob Feller 69,720 to 48,739 — driven by per-season impact — 4,101 PIV per season to 2,708 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Gibson played 17 seasons to Bob Feller's 18. 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).
Bob Feller — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Gibson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Gibson leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bob Feller owns wins. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Gibson. PIV agrees: Bob Gibson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Feller and Bob Gibson careers compare
Bob Feller (1936–1956) was finished before Bob Gibson (1959–1975) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 570 games against 528 across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 6.07 strikeouts and 4.15 walks for Bob Feller, 7.22 and 3.10 for Bob Gibson. Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games), and Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games). In WHIP, Bob Gibson's 1.19 beats Bob Feller's 1.32. Best seasons: 1946 for Bob Feller (2.18 ERA, 26-15, 348 K in 371 IP) and 1968 for Bob Gibson (1.12 ERA, 22-9, 268 K in 304 IP).
Bob Feller vs Bob Gibson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Bob Gibson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Bob Feller in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Bob Feller's 2,581.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Bob Feller's 1.32.