Bob Gibson vs Frank Tanana: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Frank Tanana played 1973–1993 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 Frank Tanana (1973–1993) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Frank Tanana finished with 240 wins and 2,773 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 Frank Tanana's 3.66.
- Who won more games? Bob Gibson, with 251 to Frank Tanana's 240.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Frank Tanana's 2,773.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Frank Tanana's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Frank Tanana, with 4,188.1 to Bob Gibson's 3,884.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Frank Tanana's 34.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Gibson, with 69,720 career Pitcher PIV to Frank Tanana's 5,624.
Bob Gibson
Frank Tanana
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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Gibson | Frank Tanana |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 240 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 236 |
| Games | 528 | Leads: 638 |
| Games Started | 482 | Leads: 616 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 143 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 34 |
| Saves | Leads: 6 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,117 | 2,773 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 1,255 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 4,063 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 448 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,884.1 | Leads: 4,188.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.91 | 3.66 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.19 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.22 | 5.96 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | Leads: 2.70 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson outpaces Frank Tanana 69,720 to 5,624 — driven by per-season impact — 4,101 PIV per season to 245 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Gibson played 17 seasons to Frank Tanana'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)
Frank Tanana — 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 Frank Tanana owns innings pitched. 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 Frank Tanana careers compare
The careers of Bob Gibson (1959–1975) and Frank Tanana (1973–1993) overlapped from 1973 to 1975, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 528 games against 638 across 17 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Frank Tanana are games (638 to 528), starts (616 to 482), and innings (4,188.1 to 3,884.1). By rate, Bob Gibson struck out 7.22 and walked 3.10 per nine innings; Frank Tanana struck out 5.96 and walked 2.70. Both had the same role: Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games); Frank Tanana was mainly a starter (616 starts in 638 games).
Bob Gibson vs Frank Tanana: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Gibson or Frank Tanana?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Frank Tanana in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Frank Tanana's 3.66.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Gibson, with 251 to Frank Tanana's 240.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Frank Tanana's 2,773.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Frank Tanana's 1.27.