Whitey Ford vs Carl Hubbell: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Hubbell has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Whitey Ford played 1950–1967 as a pitcher; Carl Hubbell played 1928–1943 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
Whitey Ford (1950–1967) and Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Whitey Ford finished with 236 wins and 1,956 strikeouts; Carl Hubbell finished with 253 wins and 1,677 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Whitey Ford, with 2.75 to Carl Hubbell's 2.98.
- Who won more games? Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Whitey Ford's 236.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Whitey Ford, with 1,956 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP? Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Whitey Ford's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Carl Hubbell, with 3,590.1 to Whitey Ford's 3,170.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Whitey Ford, with 45 to Carl Hubbell's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Carl Hubbell, with 54,753 career Pitcher PIV to Whitey Ford's 47,870.
Whitey Ford
Carl Hubbell
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 1950s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Whitey Ford | Carl Hubbell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 236 | Leads: 253 |
| Losses not scored | 106 | 154 |
| Games | 498 | Leads: 535 |
| Games Started | Leads: 438 | 431 |
| Complete Games | 156 | Leads: 260 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 45 | 36 |
| Saves | 10 | Leads: 33 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,956 | 1,677 |
| Walks not scored | 1,086 | 725 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,766 | 3,461 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 228 | 227 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,170.1 | Leads: 3,590.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.75 | 2.98 |
| WHIP | 1.22 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.55 | 4.20 |
| BB/9 | 3.08 | Leads: 1.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Hubbell leads Whitey Ford 54,753 to 47,870 — driven by per-season impact — 3,422 PIV per season to 2,992 — rather than by longevity, since Carl Hubbell played 16 seasons to Whitey Ford's 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).
Whitey Ford — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Carl Hubbell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Hubbell leads in wins, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Whitey Ford owns strikeouts, ERA, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Hubbell. PIV agrees: Carl Hubbell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Whitey Ford and Carl Hubbell careers compare
Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) was finished before Whitey Ford (1950–1967) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 498 games against 535 across 16 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 5.55 strikeouts and 3.08 walks for Whitey Ford, 4.20 and 1.82 for Carl Hubbell. Whitey Ford was mainly a starter (438 starts in 498 games), and Carl Hubbell was mainly a starter (431 starts in 535 games). Carl Hubbell allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.17 WHIP to Whitey Ford's 1.22. Best seasons: 1958 for Whitey Ford (2.01 ERA, 14-7, 145 K in 219 IP) and 1933 for Carl Hubbell (1.66 ERA, 23-12, 156 K in 308 IP).
Whitey Ford vs Carl Hubbell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Whitey Ford or Carl Hubbell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Hubbell leads Whitey Ford in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Whitey Ford, with 2.75 to Carl Hubbell's 2.98.
- Who won more games?
- Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Whitey Ford's 236.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Whitey Ford, with 1,956 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Whitey Ford's 1.22.