Bob Gibson vs Curt Simmons: 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; Curt Simmons played 1947–1967 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 Curt Simmons (1947–1967) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Curt Simmons finished with 193 wins and 1,697 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 Curt Simmons's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Bob Gibson, with 251 to Curt Simmons's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Curt Simmons's 1,697.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Curt Simmons's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Gibson, with 3,884.1 to Curt Simmons's 3,348.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Curt Simmons's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Gibson, with 69,720 career Pitcher PIV to Curt Simmons's 32,211.
Bob Gibson
Curt Simmons
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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Gibson | Curt Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 193 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 183 |
| Games | 528 | Leads: 569 |
| Games Started | Leads: 482 | 462 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 163 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 36 |
| Saves | Leads: 6 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,117 | 1,697 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 1,063 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 3,313 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 255 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,884.1 | 3,348.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.91 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.19 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.22 | 4.56 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | Leads: 2.86 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson outpaces Curt Simmons 69,720 to 32,211 — driven by per-season impact — 4,101 PIV per season to 1,400 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Gibson played 17 seasons to Curt Simmons's 23. 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)
Curt Simmons — 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 Curt Simmons owns no headline categories. 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 Curt Simmons careers compare
The careers of Bob Gibson (1959–1975) and Curt Simmons (1947–1967) overlapped from 1959 to 1967, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 528 games against 569 across 17 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Curt Simmons's edges on the table are games (569 to 528) and walks per nine (2.86 to 3.10). By rate, Bob Gibson struck out 7.22 and walked 3.10 per nine innings; Curt Simmons struck out 4.56 and walked 2.86. Both had the same role: Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games); Curt Simmons was mainly a starter (462 starts in 569 games).
Bob Gibson vs Curt Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Gibson or Curt Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Curt Simmons in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Curt Simmons's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Gibson, with 251 to Curt Simmons's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Curt Simmons's 1,697.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Curt Simmons's 1.31.