Bob Feller vs Hal Newhouser: 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; Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 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 Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — both debuted in the 1930s. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 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? Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bob Feller 3,827.0, Hal Newhouser 2,993.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Hal Newhouser's 33.
Bob Feller
Hal Newhouser
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 | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 266 | 207 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 150 |
| Games not scored | 570 | 488 |
| Games Started not scored | 484 | 374 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 212 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 33 |
| Saves not scored | 21 | 26 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,827.0 | 2,993.0 |
| ERA | 3.25 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 5.40 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 3.76 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Feller leads Hal Newhouser 48,739 to 43,492 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,708 PIV per season to 2,558, across 18 seasons to 17. 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)
Hal Newhouser — 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. Hal Newhouser 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 Hal Newhouser careers compare
Bob Feller and Hal Newhouser were active at the same time between 1939 and 1955. The two careers are close in length, 570 games for Bob Feller and 488 for Hal Newhouser across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Hal Newhouser comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.06 to 3.25), WHIP (1.31 to 1.32), and walks per nine (3.76 to 4.15). By rate, Bob Feller struck out 6.07 and walked 4.15 per nine innings; Hal Newhouser struck out 5.40 and walked 3.76. Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games), and Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games).
Bob Feller vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Hal Newhouser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Feller leads Hal Newhouser in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Bob Feller's 1.32.