Bob Friend vs Dick Hall: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Friend 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). Bob Friend played 1951–1966 as a pitcher; Dick Hall played 1952–1971 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 Dick Hall (1952–1971) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bob Friend finished with 197 wins and 1,734 strikeouts; Dick Hall finished with 93 wins and 741 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Dick Hall, with 3.32 to Bob Friend's 3.58.
- Who won more games? Bob Friend, with 197 to Dick Hall's 93.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Friend, with 1,734 to Dick Hall's 741.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dick Hall, with 1.10 to Bob Friend's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Friend, with 3,611.0 to Dick Hall's 1,259.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Friend, with 36 to Dick Hall's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Friend, with 45,735 career Pitcher PIV to Dick Hall's 13,227.
Bob Friend
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 Friend | Dick Hall |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 197 | 93 |
| Losses not scored | 230 | 75 |
| Games | Leads: 602 | 495 |
| Games Started | Leads: 497 | 74 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 163 | 20 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 36 | 3 |
| Saves | 11 | Leads: 68 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,734 | 741 |
| Walks not scored | 894 | 236 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,772 | 1,152 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 286 | 130 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,611.0 | 1,259.2 |
| ERA | 3.58 | Leads: 3.32 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 4.32 | Leads: 5.29 |
| BB/9 | 2.23 | Leads: 1.69 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Friend outpaces Dick Hall 45,735 to 13,227 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,690 PIV per season to 827, across 17 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 Friend — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dick Hall — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Friend leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Dick Hall owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Friend. PIV agrees: Bob Friend grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Friend and Dick Hall careers compare
From 1952 through 1966, Bob Friend and Dick Hall were in the majors together. With 602 games against 495 across 17 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Bob Friend struck out 4.32 and walked 2.23 per nine innings; Dick Hall struck out 5.29 and walked 1.69. Their roles differ: Bob Friend was mainly a starter (497 starts in 602 games); Dick Hall worked mostly in relief (74 starts in 495 games, 68 saves). Complete games (163 to 20) show how differently the two eras used starters. In WHIP, Dick Hall's 1.10 beats Bob Friend's 1.29.
Bob Friend vs Dick Hall: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Friend or Dick Hall?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Friend leads Dick Hall in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Dick Hall, with 3.32 to Bob Friend's 3.58.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Friend, with 197 to Dick Hall's 93.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Friend, with 1,734 to Dick Hall's 741.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dick Hall, with 1.10 to Bob Friend's 1.29.