Bob Gibson vs Carl Hubbell: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson and Carl Hubbell are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 as a pitcher; Carl Hubbell played 1928–1943 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 Gibson (1959–1975) and Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Carl Hubbell finished with 253 wins and 1,677 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 Carl Hubbell's 2.98.
- Who won more games? Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP? Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Bob Gibson's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Gibson, with 3,884.1 to Carl Hubbell's 3,590.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Carl Hubbell's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Gibson, with 69,720 career Pitcher PIV to Carl Hubbell's 54,753.
Bob Gibson
Carl Hubbell
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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Gibson | Carl Hubbell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 251 | Leads: 253 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 154 |
| Games | 528 | Leads: 535 |
| Games Started | Leads: 482 | 431 |
| Complete Games | 255 | Leads: 260 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 36 |
| Saves | 6 | Leads: 33 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,117 | 1,677 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 725 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 3,461 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 227 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,884.1 | 3,590.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.91 | 2.98 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.22 | 4.20 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | Leads: 1.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson leads Carl Hubbell 69,720 to 54,753 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,101 PIV per season to 3,422, 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 Gibson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Carl Hubbell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Gibson leads in strikeouts, ERA, K/9, and innings pitched, while Carl Hubbell owns wins and WHIP. 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
How the Bob Gibson and Carl Hubbell careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Carl Hubbell's ended in 1943, and Bob Gibson debuted in 1959. The two careers are close in length, 528 games for Bob Gibson and 535 for Carl Hubbell across 17 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Bob Gibson struck out 7.22 and walked 3.10 per nine innings; Carl Hubbell struck out 4.20 and walked 1.82. Both had the same role: Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games); Carl Hubbell was mainly a starter (431 starts in 535 games). Carl Hubbell allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.17 WHIP to Bob Gibson's 1.19.
Bob Gibson vs Carl Hubbell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Carl Hubbell's 2.98.
- Who won more games?
- Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Bob Gibson's 1.19.