Bob Feller vs Tom Glavine: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine 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; Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 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 Tom Glavine (1987–2008) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Bob Feller's 2,581.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Glavine, with 1.31 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Bob Feller's 3,827.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Feller, with 48,739 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Bob Feller
Tom Glavine
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Tom Glavine |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 266 | Leads: 305 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 203 |
| Games | 570 | Leads: 682 |
| Games Started | 484 | Leads: 682 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 56 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 25 |
| Saves | Leads: 21 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,581 | Leads: 2,607 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 1,500 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 4,298 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 356 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,827.0 | Leads: 4,413.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.25 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 5.32 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 3.06 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Feller leads Tom Glavine 48,739 to 40,421 — driven by per-season impact — 2,708 PIV per season to 1,837 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Feller played 18 seasons to Tom Glavine's 22. 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)
Tom Glavine — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Glavine leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Bob Feller owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Glavine. Note that PIV actually grades Bob Feller ahead, which means Tom Glavine's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Feller and Tom Glavine careers compare
Bob Feller (1936–1956) was finished before Tom Glavine (1987–2008) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 570 games against 682 across 18 and 22 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, 5.32 and 3.06 for Tom Glavine. Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games), and Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games). Complete games (279 to 56) show how differently the two eras used starters. In WHIP, Tom Glavine's 1.31 beats Bob Feller's 1.32.
Bob Feller vs Tom Glavine: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Tom Glavine?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Glavine leads Bob Feller in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Bob Feller's 2,581.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Glavine, with 1.31 to Bob Feller's 1.32.