Lefty Grove vs Bobo Newsom: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 as a pitcher; Bobo Newsom played 1929–1953 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
Lefty Grove (1925–1941) and Bobo Newsom (1929–1953) — both came up during the 1920s, so the matchup is a direct one. Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts; Bobo Newsom finished with 211 wins and 2,082 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Bobo Newsom's 3.98.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Bobo Newsom's 211.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Bobo Newsom's 2,082.
- Who had the better WHIP? Lefty Grove, with 1.28 to Bobo Newsom's 1.46.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940.2 to Bobo Newsom's 3,759.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Bobo Newsom's 31.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Bobo Newsom's 8,043.
Lefty Grove
Bobo Newsom
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lefty Grove | Bobo Newsom |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 300 | 211 |
| Losses not scored | 141 | 222 |
| Games | Leads: 616 | 600 |
| Games Started | 457 | Leads: 483 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 298 | 246 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 31 |
| Saves | Leads: 55 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,266 | 2,082 |
| Walks not scored | 1,187 | 1,732 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,849 | 3,769 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 162 | 206 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,940.2 | 3,759.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.98 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.28 | 1.46 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.18 | 4.98 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.71 | 4.15 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Bobo Newsom 81,321 to 8,043 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 277 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove played 17 seasons to Bobo Newsom's 29. 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).
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bobo Newsom — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lefty Grove leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bobo Newsom owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lefty Grove. PIV agrees: Lefty Grove grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lefty Grove and Bobo Newsom careers compare
From 1929 through 1941, Lefty Grove and Bobo Newsom were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 616 games for Lefty Grove and 600 for Bobo Newsom across 17 and 29 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Bobo Newsom are starts (483 to 457). The per-nine rows read 5.18 strikeouts and 2.71 walks for Lefty Grove, 4.98 and 4.15 for Bobo Newsom. Both had the same role: Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games); Bobo Newsom was mainly a starter (483 starts in 600 games). In WHIP, Lefty Grove's 1.28 beats Bobo Newsom's 1.46.
Lefty Grove vs Bobo Newsom: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Grove or Bobo Newsom?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Bobo Newsom in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Bobo Newsom's 3.98.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Bobo Newsom's 211.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Bobo Newsom's 2,082.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Lefty Grove, with 1.28 to Bobo Newsom's 1.46.