Bob Feller vs Waite Hoyt: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Feller has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Waite Hoyt played 1918–1938 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 Waite Hoyt (1918–1938) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1910s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Waite Hoyt finished with 237 wins and 1,206 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 Waite Hoyt's 3.59.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Waite Hoyt's 237.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Waite Hoyt's 1,206.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Feller, with 1.32 to Waite Hoyt's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Feller, with 3,827.0 to Waite Hoyt's 3,762.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Waite Hoyt's 26.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Feller, with 48,739 career Pitcher PIV to Waite Hoyt's 27,173.
Bob Feller
Waite Hoyt
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 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Waite Hoyt |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 266 | 237 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 182 |
| Games | 570 | Leads: 674 |
| Games Started | Leads: 484 | 423 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 226 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 26 |
| Saves | 21 | Leads: 52 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 1,206 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 1,003 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 4,037 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 154 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,827.0 | 3,762.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.25 | 3.59 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.32 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 2.88 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Feller outpaces Waite Hoyt 48,739 to 27,173 — driven by per-season impact — 2,708 PIV per season to 1,087 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Feller played 18 seasons to Waite Hoyt's 25. 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)
Waite Hoyt — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Feller leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Waite Hoyt owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Feller. PIV agrees: Bob Feller 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 Waite Hoyt careers compare
From 1936 through 1938, Bob Feller and Waite Hoyt were in the majors together. With 570 games against 674 across 18 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Waite Hoyt are games (674 to 570), saves (52 to 21), and walks per nine (2.40 to 4.15). By rate, Bob Feller struck out 6.07 and walked 4.15 per nine innings; Waite Hoyt struck out 2.88 and walked 2.40. Their roles differ: Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games); Waite Hoyt split time between starting and relief (423 starts in 674 games). In WHIP, Bob Feller's 1.32 beats Waite Hoyt's 1.34.
Bob Feller vs Waite Hoyt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Waite Hoyt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Feller leads Waite Hoyt in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Waite Hoyt's 3.59.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Waite Hoyt's 237.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Waite Hoyt's 1,206.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Feller, with 1.32 to Waite Hoyt's 1.34.