Whitey Ford vs Bob Rush: Career Stats Comparison
Whitey Ford 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). Whitey Ford played 1950–1967 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
Whitey Ford (1950–1967) and Bob Rush (1948–1960) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1940s respectively and share 11 seasons. Whitey Ford finished with 236 wins and 1,956 strikeouts; Bob Rush finished with 127 wins and 1,244 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Whitey Ford, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Whitey Ford, with 2.75 to Bob Rush's 3.65.
- Who won more games? Whitey Ford, with 236 to Bob Rush's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Whitey Ford, with 1,956 to Bob Rush's 1,244.
- Who had the better WHIP? Whitey Ford, with 1.22 to Bob Rush's 1.29.
- How many innings did each pitch? Whitey Ford 3,170.1, Bob Rush 2,410.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Whitey Ford, with 45 to Bob Rush's 16.
Whitey Ford
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. 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 | Whitey Ford | Bob Rush |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 236 | 127 |
| Losses not scored | 106 | 152 |
| Games not scored | 498 | 417 |
| Games Started not scored | 438 | 321 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 156 | 118 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 45 | 16 |
| Saves not scored | 10 | 8 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,956 | 1,244 |
| Walks not scored | 1,086 | 789 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,766 | 2,327 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 228 | 177 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,170.1 | 2,410.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.75 | 3.65 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.22 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.55 | 4.64 |
| BB/9 | 3.08 | Leads: 2.95 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Whitey Ford outpaces Bob Rush 47,870 to 35,739 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,992 PIV per season to 2,749, across 16 seasons to 13. 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).
Whitey Ford — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Rush — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Whitey Ford leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Bob Rush leads 1: walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Whitey Ford. PIV agrees: Whitey Ford 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 Bob Rush careers compare
From 1950 through 1960, Whitey Ford and Bob Rush were in the majors together. With 498 games against 417 across 16 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Bob Rush comes out ahead, it is in walks per nine (2.95 to 3.08). The per-nine rows read 5.55 strikeouts and 3.08 walks for Whitey Ford, 4.64 and 2.95 for Bob Rush. Whitey Ford was mainly a starter (438 starts in 498 games), and Bob Rush was mainly a starter (321 starts in 417 games). Whitey Ford allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.22 WHIP to Bob Rush's 1.29.
Whitey Ford vs Bob Rush: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Whitey Ford or Bob Rush?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Whitey Ford leads Bob Rush in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Whitey Ford, with 2.75 to Bob Rush's 3.65.
- Who won more games?
- Whitey Ford, with 236 to Bob Rush's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Whitey Ford, with 1,956 to Bob Rush's 1,244.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Whitey Ford, with 1.22 to Bob Rush's 1.29.