Bob Friend vs Bob Rush: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Friend has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Bob Friend played 1951–1966 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
Bob Friend (1951–1966) and Bob Rush (1948–1960) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Friend compiled 197 wins and 1,734 strikeouts; Bob Rush put up 127 wins and 1,244 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Friend, with 3.58 to Bob Rush's 3.65.
- Who won more games? Bob Friend, with 197 to Bob Rush's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Friend, with 1,734 to Bob Rush's 1,244.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Friend, with 3,611 to Bob Rush's 2,410.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Friend, with 36 to Bob Rush's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Friend, with 45,735 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Rush's 35,739.
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. 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 Rush |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 197 | 127 |
| Losses | 230 | 152 |
| Games | Leads: 602 | 417 |
| Games Started | Leads: 497 | 321 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 163 | 118 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 36 | 16 |
| Saves | Leads: 11 | 8 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,734 | 1,244 |
| Walks | 894 | 789 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,772 | 2,327 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 286 | 177 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,611 | 2,410 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.58 | 3.65 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.29 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 4.32 | Leads: 4.64 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.23 | 2.95 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Friend leads Bob Rush 45,735 to 35,739 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,690 vs 2,553 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 Rush — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Friend leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bob Rush owns 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
Bob Friend vs Bob Rush: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Friend or Bob Rush?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Friend leads Bob Rush in 11 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Friend, with 3.58 to Bob Rush's 3.65.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Friend, with 197 to Bob Rush's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Friend, with 1,734 to Bob Rush's 1,244.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.29.