Bob Friend vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Friend and Hal Newhouser are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Friend played 1951–1966 as a pitcher; Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 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 Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Friend finished with 197 wins and 1,734 strikeouts; Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Bob Friend's 3.58.
- Who won more games? Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Bob Friend's 197.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Bob Friend's 1,734.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Friend, with 1.29 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Friend, with 3,611.0 to Hal Newhouser's 2,993.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Friend, with 36 to Hal Newhouser's 33.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Friend, with 45,735 career Pitcher PIV to Hal Newhouser's 43,492.
Bob Friend
Hal Newhouser
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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Friend | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 197 | Leads: 207 |
| Losses not scored | 230 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 602 | 488 |
| Games Started | Leads: 497 | 374 |
| Complete Games | 163 | Leads: 212 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 36 | 33 |
| Saves | 11 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | 1,734 | Leads: 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 894 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,772 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 286 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,611.0 | 2,993.0 |
| ERA | 3.58 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.29 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 4.32 | Leads: 5.40 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.23 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Friend edges Hal Newhouser 45,735 to 43,492 — driven by per-season impact — 2,690 PIV per season to 2,558 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Friend played 17 seasons to Hal Newhouser's 17. 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)
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Bob Friend owns WHIP and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hal Newhouser. Note that PIV actually grades Bob Friend ahead, which means Hal Newhouser's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Friend and Hal Newhouser careers compare
The careers of Bob Friend (1951–1966) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) overlapped from 1951 to 1955, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 602 games against 488 across 17 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 4.32 strikeouts and 2.23 walks for Bob Friend, 5.40 and 3.76 for Hal Newhouser. Bob Friend was mainly a starter (497 starts in 602 games), and Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games). In WHIP, Bob Friend's 1.29 beats Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
Bob Friend vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Bob Friend's 3.58.
- Who won more games?
- Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Bob Friend's 197.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Bob Friend's 1,734.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Friend, with 1.29 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.