Bob Feller vs Dutch Leonard: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Feller has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Bob Feller played 1936–1956 as a pitcher; Dutch Leonard played 1933–1953 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 Dutch Leonard (1933–1953) — both came up during the 1930s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bob Feller compiled 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Dutch Leonard put up 191 wins and 1,170 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Neither — both are at 3.25.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Dutch Leonard's 191.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Dutch Leonard's 1,170.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dutch Leonard, with 1.26 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Feller, with 3,827 to Dutch Leonard's 3,218.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Dutch Leonard's 30.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Feller, with 48,739 career Pitcher PIV to Dutch Leonard's 44,834.
Bob Feller
Dutch Leonard
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Dutch Leonard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 266 | 191 |
| Losses | 162 | 181 |
| Games | 570 | Leads: 640 |
| Games Started | Leads: 484 | 374 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 192 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 30 |
| Saves | 21 | Leads: 44 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 1,170 |
| Walks | 1,764 | 737 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,271 | 3,304 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 224 | 158 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,827 | 3,218 |
| ERA | 3.25 | Leads: 3.25 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 3.27 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 2.06 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Feller leads Dutch Leonard 48,739 to 44,834 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,708 vs 2,242 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Dutch Leonard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Feller leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Dutch Leonard owns ERA and WHIP. 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
Bob Feller vs Dutch Leonard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Dutch Leonard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Feller leads Dutch Leonard in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Neither — both are at 3.25.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Dutch Leonard's 191.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Dutch Leonard's 1,170.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dutch Leonard, with 1.26 to Bob Feller's 1.32.