Bob Gibson vs Sam McDowell: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 as a pitcher; Sam McDowell played 1961–1975 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 Gibson (1959–1975) and Sam McDowell (1961–1975) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Sam McDowell finished with 141 wins and 2,453 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 Sam McDowell's 3.17.
- Who won more games? Bob Gibson, with 251 to Sam McDowell's 141.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Sam McDowell's 2,453.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Sam McDowell's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Gibson, with 3,884.1 to Sam McDowell's 2,492.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Sam McDowell's 23.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Gibson, with 69,720 career Pitcher PIV to Sam McDowell's 29,989.
Bob Gibson
Sam McDowell
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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Gibson | Sam McDowell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 141 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 134 |
| Games | Leads: 528 | 425 |
| Games Started | Leads: 482 | 346 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 103 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 23 |
| Saves | 6 | Leads: 14 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,117 | 2,453 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 1,312 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 1,948 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 164 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,884.1 | 2,492.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.91 | 3.17 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.19 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 7.22 | Leads: 8.86 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.10 | 4.74 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson outpaces Sam McDowell 69,720 to 29,989 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,101 PIV per season to 1,874, 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)
Sam McDowell — 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 Sam McDowell owns K/9. 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 Sam McDowell careers compare
Bob Gibson and Sam McDowell were active at the same time between 1961 and 1975. With 528 games against 425 across 17 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Sam McDowell's edges on the table are saves (14 to 6) and strikeouts per nine (8.86 to 7.22). By rate, Bob Gibson struck out 7.22 and walked 3.10 per nine innings; Sam McDowell struck out 8.86 and walked 4.74. Both had the same role: Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games); Sam McDowell was mainly a starter (346 starts in 425 games). In WHIP, Bob Gibson's 1.19 beats Sam McDowell's 1.31.
Bob Gibson vs Sam McDowell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Gibson or Sam McDowell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Sam McDowell in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Sam McDowell's 3.17.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Gibson, with 251 to Sam McDowell's 141.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Sam McDowell's 2,453.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Sam McDowell's 1.31.