Carl Hubbell vs Herb Pennock: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Hubbell 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). Carl Hubbell played 1928–1943 as a pitcher; Herb Pennock played 1912–1934 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
Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) and Herb Pennock (1912–1934) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1910s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Carl Hubbell finished with 253 wins and 1,677 strikeouts; Herb Pennock finished with 240 wins and 1,227 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Herb Pennock's 3.60.
- Who won more games? Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Herb Pennock's 240.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Carl Hubbell, with 1,677 to Herb Pennock's 1,227.
- Who had the better WHIP? Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Herb Pennock's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Carl Hubbell, with 3,590.1 to Herb Pennock's 3,571.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Carl Hubbell, with 36 to Herb Pennock's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Carl Hubbell, with 54,753 career Pitcher PIV to Herb Pennock's 29,181.
Carl Hubbell
Herb Pennock
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 1920s and the 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Carl Hubbell | Herb Pennock |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 253 | 240 |
| Losses not scored | 154 | 162 |
| Games | 535 | Leads: 617 |
| Games Started | Leads: 431 | 420 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 260 | 247 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 36 | 35 |
| Saves | Leads: 33 | 32 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,677 | 1,227 |
| Walks not scored | 725 | 916 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,461 | 3,900 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 227 | 128 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,590.1 | 3,571.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.98 | 3.60 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.20 | 3.09 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.82 | 2.31 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Hubbell outpaces Herb Pennock 54,753 to 29,181 — driven by per-season impact — 3,422 PIV per season to 1,269 — rather than by longevity, since Carl Hubbell played 16 seasons to Herb Pennock'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).
Carl Hubbell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Herb Pennock — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Hubbell leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Herb Pennock owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Hubbell. PIV agrees: Carl Hubbell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carl Hubbell and Herb Pennock careers compare
Carl Hubbell and Herb Pennock were active at the same time between 1928 and 1934. With 535 games against 617 across 16 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Herb Pennock comes out ahead, it is in games (617 to 535). By rate, Carl Hubbell struck out 4.20 and walked 1.82 per nine innings; Herb Pennock struck out 3.09 and walked 2.31. Their roles differ: Carl Hubbell was mainly a starter (431 starts in 535 games); Herb Pennock split time between starting and relief (420 starts in 617 games). In WHIP, Carl Hubbell's 1.17 beats Herb Pennock's 1.35.
Carl Hubbell vs Herb Pennock: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carl Hubbell or Herb Pennock?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Hubbell leads Herb Pennock in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Herb Pennock's 3.60.
- Who won more games?
- Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Herb Pennock's 240.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Carl Hubbell, with 1,677 to Herb Pennock's 1,227.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Herb Pennock's 1.35.