Bob Feller vs Billy Pierce: 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; Billy Pierce played 1945–1964 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 Billy Pierce (1945–1964) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Feller compiled 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Billy Pierce put up 211 wins and 1,999 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 Billy Pierce's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Billy Pierce's 211.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Billy Pierce's 1,999.
- Who had the better WHIP? Billy Pierce, with 1.26 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Feller, with 3,827 to Billy Pierce's 3,306.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Billy Pierce's 38.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Feller, with 48,739 career Pitcher PIV to Billy Pierce's 39,435.
Bob Feller
Billy Pierce
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 | Billy Pierce |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 266 | 211 |
| Losses | 162 | 169 |
| Games | 570 | Leads: 585 |
| Games Started | Leads: 484 | 432 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 193 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 38 |
| Saves | 21 | Leads: 32 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 1,999 |
| Walks | 1,764 | 1,178 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,271 | 2,989 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 224 | 284 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,827 | 3,306 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.25 | 3.27 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 5.44 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 3.21 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Feller leads Billy Pierce 48,739 to 39,435 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,708 vs 2,191 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)
Billy Pierce — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Feller leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Billy Pierce owns 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 Billy Pierce: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Billy Pierce?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Feller leads Billy Pierce in 8 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Billy Pierce's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Billy Pierce's 211.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Billy Pierce's 1,999.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Billy Pierce, with 1.26 to Bob Feller's 1.32.