Bob Feller vs Bob Rush: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Feller 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; Bob Rush played 1948–1960 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 Bob Rush (1948–1960) — 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; Bob Rush finished with 127 wins and 1,244 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 Bob Rush's 3.65.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Bob Rush's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Bob Rush's 1,244.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Rush, with 1.29 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Feller, with 3,827.0 to Bob Rush's 2,410.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Bob Rush's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Feller, with 48,739 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Rush's 35,739.
Bob Feller
Bob Rush
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 | Bob Rush |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 266 | 127 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 152 |
| Games | Leads: 570 | 417 |
| Games Started | Leads: 484 | 321 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 118 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 16 |
| Saves | Leads: 21 | 8 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 1,244 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 789 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 2,327 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 177 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,827.0 | 2,410.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.25 | 3.65 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.29 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 4.64 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 2.95 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Feller outpaces Bob Rush 48,739 to 35,739 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,708 PIV per season to 2,553, across 18 seasons to 14. 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)
Bob Rush — 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 Bob Rush 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
How the Bob Feller and Bob Rush careers compare
From 1948 through 1956, Bob Feller and Bob Rush were in the majors together. With 570 games against 417 across 18 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Bob Rush are WHIP (1.29 to 1.32) and walks per nine (2.95 to 4.15). By rate, Bob Feller struck out 6.07 and walked 4.15 per nine innings; Bob Rush struck out 4.64 and walked 2.95. Both had the same role: Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games); Bob Rush was mainly a starter (321 starts in 417 games). Bob Rush allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.29 WHIP to Bob Feller's 1.32.
Bob Feller vs Bob Rush: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Bob Rush?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Feller leads Bob Rush in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Bob Rush's 3.65.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Bob Rush's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Bob Rush's 1,244.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Rush, with 1.29 to Bob Feller's 1.32.