Bob Feller vs Lon Warneke: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Feller has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Lon Warneke played 1930–1945 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 Lon Warneke (1930–1945) — both came up during the 1930s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Lon Warneke finished with 192 wins and 1,140 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lon Warneke, with 3.18 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Lon Warneke's 192.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Lon Warneke's 1,140.
- Who had the better WHIP? Lon Warneke, with 1.25 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Feller, with 3,827.0 to Lon Warneke's 2,782.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Lon Warneke's 30.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Feller, with 48,739 career Pitcher PIV to Lon Warneke's 21,013.
Bob Feller
Lon Warneke
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Lon Warneke |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 266 | 192 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 121 |
| Games | Leads: 570 | 445 |
| Games Started | Leads: 484 | 343 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 192 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 30 |
| Saves | Leads: 21 | 13 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 1,140 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 739 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 2,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 175 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,827.0 | 2,782.1 |
| ERA | 3.25 | Leads: 3.18 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.25 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 3.69 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 2.39 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Feller outpaces Lon Warneke 48,739 to 21,013 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,708 PIV per season to 1,313, across 18 seasons to 16. 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)
Lon Warneke — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Feller leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Lon Warneke owns ERA and 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 Lon Warneke careers compare
Bob Feller and Lon Warneke were active at the same time between 1936 and 1945. With 570 games against 445 across 18 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Lon Warneke comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.18 to 3.25), WHIP (1.25 to 1.32), and walks per nine (2.39 to 4.15). The per-nine rows read 6.07 strikeouts and 4.15 walks for Bob Feller, 3.69 and 2.39 for Lon Warneke. Both had the same role: Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games); Lon Warneke was mainly a starter (343 starts in 445 games). Lon Warneke allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.25 WHIP to Bob Feller's 1.32.
Bob Feller vs Lon Warneke: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Lon Warneke?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Feller leads Lon Warneke in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lon Warneke, with 3.18 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Lon Warneke's 192.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Lon Warneke's 1,140.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Lon Warneke, with 1.25 to Bob Feller's 1.32.