Burt Hooton vs Sam McDowell: Career Stats Comparison
Burt Hooton (1971–1985) and Sam McDowell (1961–1975) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Burt Hooton compiled 151 wins and 1,491 strikeouts; Sam McDowell put up 141 wins and 2,453 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Burt Hooton
Sam McDowell
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 | Burt Hooton | Sam McDowell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 151 | 141 |
| Losses | 136 | 134 |
| Games | 480 | 425 |
| Games Started | 377 | 346 |
| Complete Games | 86 | 103 |
| Shutouts | 29 | 23 |
| Saves | 7 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | 1,491 | 2,453 |
| Walks | 799 | 1,312 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,497 | 1,948 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 193 | 164 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,652 | 2,492 |
| ERA | 3.38 | 3.17 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 5.06 | 8.86 |
| BB/9 | 2.71 | 4.74 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sam McDowell leads Burt Hooton 29,989 to 24,063 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,874 vs 1,504 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).
Burt Hooton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Sam McDowell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sam McDowell leads in strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Burt Hooton owns wins, WHIP, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sam McDowell. PIV agrees: Sam McDowell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.