Bob Feller vs Ted Lyons: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Feller has the better career line of the two, leading 6 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; Ted Lyons played 1923–1946 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 Ted Lyons (1923–1946) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Ted Lyons finished with 260 wins and 1,073 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 Ted Lyons's 3.67.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Ted Lyons's 260.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Ted Lyons's 1,073.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Feller, with 1.32 to Ted Lyons's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Ted Lyons, with 4,161.0 to Bob Feller's 3,827.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Ted Lyons's 27.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Feller, with 48,739 career Pitcher PIV to Ted Lyons's 8,642.
Bob Feller
Ted Lyons
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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Ted Lyons |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 266 | 260 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 230 |
| Games | 570 | Leads: 594 |
| Games Started | 484 | 484 |
| Complete Games | 279 | Leads: 356 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 27 |
| Saves | 21 | Leads: 23 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 1,073 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 1,121 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 4,489 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,827.0 | Leads: 4,161.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.25 | 3.67 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.32 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 2.32 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 2.42 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Feller outpaces Ted Lyons 48,739 to 8,642 — driven by per-season impact — 2,708 PIV per season to 412 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Feller played 18 seasons to Ted Lyons's 21. 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)
Ted Lyons — 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 Ted Lyons owns innings pitched. 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 Ted Lyons careers compare
The careers of Bob Feller (1936–1956) and Ted Lyons (1923–1946) overlapped from 1936 to 1946, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 570 games for Bob Feller and 594 for Ted Lyons across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 6.07 strikeouts and 4.15 walks for Bob Feller, 2.32 and 2.42 for Ted Lyons. Both had the same role: Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games); Ted Lyons was mainly a starter (484 starts in 594 games). In WHIP, Bob Feller's 1.32 beats Ted Lyons's 1.35.
Bob Feller vs Ted Lyons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Ted Lyons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Feller leads Ted Lyons in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Ted Lyons's 3.67.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Ted Lyons's 260.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Ted Lyons's 1,073.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Feller, with 1.32 to Ted Lyons's 1.35.