Bob Gibson vs Bob Veale: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; 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) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 13 seasons. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Bob Veale finished with 120 wins and 1,703 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Bob Gibson, in 7 of the 8 scored 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.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bob Gibson 3,884.1, Bob Veale 1,926.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Bob Veale's 20.
Bob Gibson
Bob Veale
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 | Bob Veale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 120 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 95 |
| Games not scored | 528 | 397 |
| Games Started not scored | 482 | 255 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 78 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 20 |
| Saves not scored | 6 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,117 | 1,703 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 858 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 1,684 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 91 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,884.1 | 1,926.0 |
| 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 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,101 PIV per season to 2,817, across 17 seasons to 13. 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
Bob Gibson leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Bob Veale leads 1: strikeouts per nine. 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 Bob Veale careers compare
The careers of Bob Gibson (1959–1975) and Bob Veale (1962–1974) overlapped from 1962 to 1974, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 528 games for Bob Gibson and 397 for Bob Veale across 17 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Bob Veale comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (7.96 to 7.22). By rate, Bob Gibson struck out 7.22 and walked 3.10 per nine innings; Bob Veale struck out 7.96 and walked 4.01.
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 7 of the 8 scored 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.