Bob Feller vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Feller has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. 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 came up during the 1930s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bob Feller compiled 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Hal Newhouser put up 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Feller, with 3,827 to Hal Newhouser's 2,993.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Hal Newhouser's 33.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Feller, with 48,739 career Pitcher PIV to Hal Newhouser's 43,492.
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. 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 | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 266 | 207 |
| Losses | 162 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 570 | 488 |
| Games Started | Leads: 484 | 374 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 212 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 33 |
| Saves | 21 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 1,796 |
| Walks | 1,764 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,271 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 224 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,827 | 2,993 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,708 vs 2,558 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)
Hal Newhouser — 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 Hal Newhouser 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 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 8 of 12 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.