Bob Feller vs Satchel Paige: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Feller has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Satchel Paige played 1948–1965 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 Satchel Paige (1948–1965) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Satchel Paige finished with 143 wins and 1,695 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Satchel Paige's 1,695.
- Who had the better WHIP? Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Feller, with 3,827.0 to Satchel Paige's 1,962.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Satchel Paige's 28.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Satchel Paige, with 77,694 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Feller's 48,739.
Bob Feller
Satchel Paige
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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Satchel Paige |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 266 | 143 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 89 |
| Games | Leads: 570 | 438 |
| Games Started | Leads: 484 | 226 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 116 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 28 |
| Saves | 21 | Leads: 47 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 1,695 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 533 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 1,647 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 66 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,827.0 | 1,962.2 |
| ERA | 3.25 | Leads: 2.77 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 6.07 | Leads: 7.77 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 2.44 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Satchel Paige outpaces Bob Feller 77,694 to 48,739 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,775 PIV per season to 2,708, across 28 seasons to 18. 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)
Satchel Paige — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Satchel Paige leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bob Feller owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Satchel Paige. PIV agrees: Satchel Paige 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 Satchel Paige careers compare
The careers of Bob Feller (1936–1956) and Satchel Paige (1948–1965) overlapped from 1948 to 1956, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 570 games for Bob Feller and 438 for Satchel Paige across 18 and 28 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Bob Feller struck out 6.07 and walked 4.15 per nine innings; Satchel Paige struck out 7.77 and walked 2.44. Their roles differ: Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games); Satchel Paige split time between starting and relief (226 starts in 438 games).
Bob Feller vs Satchel Paige: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Satchel Paige?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Feller leads Satchel Paige in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Satchel Paige's 1,695.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Bob Feller's 1.32.