Bob Gibson vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 as a pitcher; Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 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 Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 14 seasons. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Gaylord Perry, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Bob Gibson's 3,117.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Bob Gibson's 1.19.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bob Gibson 3,884.1, Gaylord Perry 5,350.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Gaylord Perry's 53.
Bob Gibson
Gaylord Perry
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 Gibson | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 251 | Leads: 314 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 265 |
| Games not scored | 528 | 777 |
| Games Started not scored | 482 | 690 |
| Complete Games | 255 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 53 |
| Saves not scored | 6 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 3,117 | Leads: 3,534 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,884.1 | 5,350.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.91 | 3.11 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.22 | 5.94 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry leads Bob Gibson 78,312 to 69,720 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Gaylord Perry played 22 seasons to Bob Gibson's 17, while Bob Gibson carries the higher per-season figure (4,101 to 3,560). 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 Gibson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Gaylord Perry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Gaylord Perry leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, strikeouts, WHIP, and others. Bob Gibson leads 3: shutouts, ERA, and strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gaylord Perry. PIV agrees: Gaylord Perry 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 Gaylord Perry careers compare
The careers of Bob Gibson (1959–1975) and Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) overlapped from 1962 to 1975, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 528 games for Bob Gibson and 777 for Gaylord Perry across 17 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Bob Gibson are shutouts (56 to 53), ERA (2.91 to 3.11), and strikeouts per nine (7.22 to 5.94). The per-nine rows read 7.22 strikeouts and 3.10 walks for Bob Gibson, 5.94 and 2.32 for Gaylord Perry.
Bob Gibson vs Gaylord Perry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Gibson or Gaylord Perry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Bob Gibson in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Bob Gibson's 3,117.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Bob Gibson's 1.19.