Tex Hughson vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Hal Newhouser has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tex Hughson played 1941–1949 as a pitcher; Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 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
Tex Hughson (1941–1949) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — breaking in during the 1940s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tex Hughson finished with 96 wins and 693 strikeouts; Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tex Hughson, with 2.94 to Hal Newhouser's 3.06.
- Who won more games? Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Tex Hughson's 96.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Tex Hughson's 693.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tex Hughson, with 1.19 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Hal Newhouser, with 2,993.0 to Tex Hughson's 1,375.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to Tex Hughson's 19.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Tex Hughson's 17,522.
Tex Hughson
Hal Newhouser
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 1940s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tex Hughson | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 96 | Leads: 207 |
| Losses not scored | 54 | 150 |
| Games | 225 | Leads: 488 |
| Games Started | 156 | Leads: 374 |
| Complete Games | 99 | Leads: 212 |
| Shutouts | 19 | Leads: 33 |
| Saves | 17 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | 693 | Leads: 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 372 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,270 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 77 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,375.2 | Leads: 2,993.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.94 | 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.19 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 4.53 | Leads: 5.40 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.43 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Tex Hughson 43,492 to 17,522 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,558 PIV per season to 2,190, across 17 seasons to 8. 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).
Tex Hughson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Tex Hughson owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hal Newhouser. PIV agrees: Hal Newhouser grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tex Hughson and Hal Newhouser careers compare
Tex Hughson and Hal Newhouser were active at the same time between 1941 and 1949. The table compares 225 games of Tex Hughson with 488 of Hal Newhouser across 8 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Tex Hughson's edges on the table are ERA (2.94 to 3.06), WHIP (1.19 to 1.31), and walks per nine (2.43 to 3.76). The per-nine rows read 4.53 strikeouts and 2.43 walks for Tex Hughson, 5.40 and 3.76 for Hal Newhouser. Their roles differ: Tex Hughson split time between starting and relief (156 starts in 225 games); Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games).
Tex Hughson vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tex Hughson or Hal Newhouser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hal Newhouser leads Tex Hughson in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tex Hughson, with 2.94 to Hal Newhouser's 3.06.
- Who won more games?
- Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Tex Hughson's 96.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Tex Hughson's 693.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tex Hughson, with 1.19 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.