Bob Gibson vs Curt Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
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 compiled 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Curt Simmons put up 193 wins and 1,697 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Bob Gibson | Curt Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 251 | 193 |
| Losses | 174 | 183 |
| Games | 528 | 569 |
| Games Started | 482 | 462 |
| Complete Games | 255 | 163 |
| Shutouts | 56 | 36 |
| Saves | 6 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 3,117 | 1,697 |
| Walks | 1,336 | 1,063 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,279 | 3,313 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 257 | 255 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,884 | 3,348 |
| ERA | 2.91 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 7.22 | 4.56 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | 2.86 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson outpaces Curt Simmons 69,720 to 32,211 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,101 vs 1,400 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 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.