Bob Friend vs Bob Gibson: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Bob Friend played 1951–1966 as a pitcher; Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 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 Friend (1951–1966) and Bob Gibson (1959–1975) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bob Friend compiled 197 wins and 1,734 strikeouts; Bob Gibson put up 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Bob Friend's 3.58.
- Who won more games? Bob Gibson, with 251 to Bob Friend's 197.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Bob Friend's 1,734.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Bob Friend's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Gibson, with 3,884 to Bob Friend's 3,611.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Bob Friend's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Gibson, with 69,720 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Friend's 45,735.
Bob Friend
Bob Gibson
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Bob Friend | Bob Gibson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 197 | Leads: 251 |
| Losses | 230 | 174 |
| Games | Leads: 602 | 528 |
| Games Started | Leads: 497 | 482 |
| Complete Games | 163 | Leads: 255 |
| Shutouts | 36 | Leads: 56 |
| Saves | Leads: 11 | 6 |
| Strikeouts | 1,734 | Leads: 3,117 |
| Walks | 894 | 1,336 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,772 | 3,279 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 286 | 257 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,611 | Leads: 3,884 |
| ERA | 3.58 | Leads: 2.91 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | 4.32 | Leads: 7.22 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.23 | 3.10 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson outpaces Bob Friend 69,720 to 45,735 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,101 vs 2,690 per year). 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 Friend — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Gibson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Gibson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bob Friend owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Gibson. PIV agrees: Bob Gibson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Bob Friend vs Bob Gibson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Friend or Bob Gibson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Bob Friend in 8 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Bob Friend's 3.58.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Gibson, with 251 to Bob Friend's 197.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Bob Friend's 1,734.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Bob Friend's 1.29.