Bob Feller vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 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 Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Bob Feller's 2,581.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350.1 to Bob Feller's 3,827.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Bob Feller's 44.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gaylord Perry, with 78,312 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Feller's 48,739.
Bob Feller
Gaylord Perry
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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 266 | Leads: 314 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 265 |
| Games | 570 | Leads: 777 |
| Games Started | 484 | Leads: 690 |
| Complete Games | 279 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | 44 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | Leads: 21 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 2,581 | Leads: 3,534 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,827.0 | Leads: 5,350.1 |
| ERA | 3.25 | Leads: 3.11 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 5.94 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces Bob Feller 78,312 to 48,739 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,132 PIV per season to 2,708, across 25 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)
Gaylord Perry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gaylord Perry leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bob Feller owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gaylord Perry. PIV agrees: Gaylord Perry 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 Gaylord Perry careers compare
No season is shared: Bob Feller played 1936–1956, Gaylord Perry 1962–1983. The two careers are close in length, 570 games for Bob Feller and 777 for Gaylord Perry across 18 and 25 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Bob Feller's edges on the table are saves (21 to 11) and strikeouts per nine (6.07 to 5.94). By rate, Bob Feller struck out 6.07 and walked 4.15 per nine innings; Gaylord Perry struck out 5.94 and walked 2.32. Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games), and Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games).
Bob Feller vs Gaylord Perry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Gaylord Perry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Bob Feller in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Bob Feller's 2,581.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Bob Feller's 1.32.