Bob Feller vs Walter Johnson: Career Stats Comparison
Walter Johnson 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). Bob Feller played 1936–1956 as a pitcher; Walter Johnson played 1907–1927 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 Walter Johnson (1907–1927) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Walter Johnson finished with 417 wins and 3,509 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Walter Johnson, with 2.17 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games? Walter Johnson, with 417 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Walter Johnson, with 3,509 to Bob Feller's 2,581.
- Who had the better WHIP? Walter Johnson, with 1.06 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Walter Johnson, with 5,914.2 to Bob Feller's 3,827.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Walter Johnson, with 110 to Bob Feller's 44.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Walter Johnson, with 124,021 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Feller's 48,739.
Bob Feller
Walter Johnson
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 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Walter Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 266 | Leads: 417 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 279 |
| Games | 570 | Leads: 802 |
| Games Started | 484 | Leads: 666 |
| Complete Games | 279 | Leads: 531 |
| Shutouts | 44 | Leads: 110 |
| Saves | 21 | Leads: 34 |
| Strikeouts | 2,581 | Leads: 3,509 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 1,363 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 4,913 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 97 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,827.0 | Leads: 5,914.2 |
| ERA | 3.25 | Leads: 2.17 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.06 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 5.34 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 2.07 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Walter Johnson outpaces Bob Feller 124,021 to 48,739 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,906 PIV per season to 2,708, across 21 seasons to 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)
Walter Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Walter Johnson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bob Feller owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Walter Johnson. PIV agrees: Walter Johnson 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 Walter Johnson careers compare
Walter Johnson (1907–1927) was finished before Bob Feller (1936–1956) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 570 games against 802 across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Bob Feller's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (6.07 to 5.34). By rate, Bob Feller struck out 6.07 and walked 4.15 per nine innings; Walter Johnson struck out 5.34 and walked 2.07. Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games), and Walter Johnson was mainly a starter (666 starts in 802 games). In WHIP, Walter Johnson's 1.06 beats Bob Feller's 1.32.
Bob Feller vs Walter Johnson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Walter Johnson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Walter Johnson leads Bob Feller in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Walter Johnson, with 2.17 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games?
- Walter Johnson, with 417 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Walter Johnson, with 3,509 to Bob Feller's 2,581.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Walter Johnson, with 1.06 to Bob Feller's 1.32.