Bob Feller vs Dutch Leonard: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Feller has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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 debuted in the 1930s. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Dutch Leonard finished with 191 wins and 1,170 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Bob Feller, in 5 of the 8 scored 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.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bob Feller 3,827.0, Dutch Leonard 3,218.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Dutch Leonard's 30.
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Dutch Leonard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 266 | 191 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 181 |
| Games not scored | 570 | 640 |
| Games Started not scored | 484 | 374 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 192 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 30 |
| Saves not scored | 21 | 44 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 1,170 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 737 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 3,304 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 158 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,827.0 | 3,218.1 |
| 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 — driven by per-season impact — 2,708 PIV per season to 2,242 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Feller played 18 seasons to Dutch Leonard's 20. 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
Bob Feller leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Dutch Leonard leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and walks per nine. 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 Dutch Leonard careers compare
The careers of Bob Feller (1936–1956) and Dutch Leonard (1933–1953) overlapped from 1936 to 1953, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 570 games against 640 across 18 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Dutch Leonard's edges on the table are ERA (3.25 to 3.25), WHIP (1.26 to 1.32), and walks per nine (2.06 to 4.15). By rate, Bob Feller struck out 6.07 and walked 4.15 per nine innings; Dutch Leonard struck out 3.27 and walked 2.06. Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games), while Dutch Leonard split time between starting and relief (374 starts in 640 games).
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 5 of the 8 scored 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.