Bob Gibson vs Bob Veale: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 as a pitcher; Bob Veale played 1962–1974 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 Bob Veale (1962–1974) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Gibson compiled 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Bob Veale put up 120 wins and 1,703 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 Bob Veale's 3.07.
- Who won more games? Bob Gibson, with 251 to Bob Veale's 120.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Bob Veale's 1,703.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Bob Veale's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Gibson, with 3,884 to Bob Veale's 1,926.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Bob Veale's 20.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Gibson, with 69,720 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Veale's 36,615.
Bob Gibson
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Bob Gibson | Bob Veale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 120 |
| Losses | 174 | 95 |
| Games | Leads: 528 | 397 |
| Games Started | Leads: 482 | 255 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 78 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 20 |
| Saves | 6 | Leads: 21 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,117 | 1,703 |
| Walks | 1,336 | 858 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,279 | 1,684 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 257 | 91 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,884 | 1,926 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.91 | 3.07 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.19 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 7.22 | Leads: 7.96 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.10 | 4.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson outpaces Bob Veale 69,720 to 36,615 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,101 vs 2,615 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)
Bob Veale — 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 Bob Veale 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
Bob Gibson vs Bob Veale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Gibson or Bob Veale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Bob Veale in 10 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Bob Veale's 3.07.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Gibson, with 251 to Bob Veale's 120.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Bob Veale's 1,703.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Bob Veale's 1.32.