Bob Feller vs Warren Spahn: Career Stats Comparison
Warren Spahn has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Feller played 1936–1956 as a pitcher; Warren Spahn played 1942–1965 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 Warren Spahn (1942–1965) — they debuted in the 1930s and the 1940s respectively and share 15 seasons. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Warren Spahn finished with 363 wins and 2,583 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Warren Spahn, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games? Warren Spahn, with 363 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Bob Feller's 2,581.
- Who had the better WHIP? Warren Spahn, with 1.19 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bob Feller 3,827.0, Warren Spahn 5,243.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Warren Spahn, with 63 to Bob Feller's 44.
Bob Feller
Warren Spahn
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Warren Spahn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 266 | Leads: 363 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 245 |
| Games not scored | 570 | 750 |
| Games Started not scored | 484 | 665 |
| Complete Games | 279 | Leads: 382 |
| Shutouts | 44 | Leads: 63 |
| Saves not scored | 21 | 29 |
| Strikeouts | 2,581 | Leads: 2,583 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 1,434 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 4,830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 434 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,827.0 | 5,243.2 |
| ERA | 3.25 | Leads: 3.09 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 4.43 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 2.46 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Warren Spahn leads Bob Feller 63,558 to 48,739 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,027 PIV per season to 2,708, across 21 seasons to 18. 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)
Warren Spahn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Warren Spahn leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Bob Feller leads 1: strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Warren Spahn. PIV agrees: Warren Spahn 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 Warren Spahn careers compare
The careers of Bob Feller (1936–1956) and Warren Spahn (1942–1965) overlapped from 1942 to 1956, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 570 games against 750 across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Bob Feller's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (6.07 to 4.43). By rate, Bob Feller struck out 6.07 and walked 4.15 per nine innings; Warren Spahn struck out 4.43 and walked 2.46. Both had the same role: Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games); Warren Spahn was mainly a starter (665 starts in 750 games).
Bob Feller vs Warren Spahn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Warren Spahn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Warren Spahn leads Bob Feller in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games?
- Warren Spahn, with 363 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Bob Feller's 2,581.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Warren Spahn, with 1.19 to Bob Feller's 1.32.