Bob Lemon vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Hal Newhouser 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). Bob Lemon played 1941–1958 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
Bob Lemon (1941–1958) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — breaking in during the 1940s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Lemon finished with 207 wins and 1,277 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? Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Bob Lemon's 3.23.
- Who won more games? Neither — both are at 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Bob Lemon's 1,277.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Bob Lemon's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Hal Newhouser, with 2,993.0 to Bob Lemon's 2,850.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to Bob Lemon's 31.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Lemon's 14,410.
Bob Lemon
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 | Bob Lemon | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 207 | 207 |
| Losses not scored | 128 | 150 |
| Games | 460 | Leads: 488 |
| Games Started | 350 | Leads: 374 |
| Complete Games | 188 | Leads: 212 |
| Shutouts | 31 | Leads: 33 |
| Saves | 22 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | 1,277 | Leads: 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 1,251 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,559 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 181 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,850.0 | Leads: 2,993.0 |
| ERA | 3.23 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | Leads: 1.31 |
| K/9 | 4.03 | Leads: 5.40 |
| BB/9 | 3.95 | Leads: 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Bob Lemon 43,492 to 14,410 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,558 PIV per season to 1,108, across 17 seasons to 13. 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).
Bob Lemon — 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 strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bob Lemon owns no headline categories. 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 Bob Lemon and Hal Newhouser careers compare
The careers of Bob Lemon (1941–1958) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) overlapped from 1941 to 1955, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 460 games against 488 across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Hal Newhouser leads every scored row of the table. By rate, Bob Lemon struck out 4.03 and walked 3.95 per nine innings; Hal Newhouser struck out 5.40 and walked 3.76. Bob Lemon was mainly a starter (350 starts in 460 games), and Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games). In WHIP, Hal Newhouser's 1.31 beats Bob Lemon's 1.34.
Bob Lemon vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Lemon or Hal Newhouser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hal Newhouser leads Bob Lemon in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Bob Lemon's 3.23.
- Who won more games?
- Neither — both are at 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Bob Lemon's 1,277.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Bob Lemon's 1.34.