Dutch Leonard vs Hilton Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Dutch Leonard has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dutch Leonard played 1933–1953 as a pitcher; Hilton Smith played ?–1948 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
Dutch Leonard (1933–1953) and Hilton Smith (?–1948) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Dutch Leonard finished with 191 wins and 1,170 strikeouts; Hilton Smith finished with 71 wins and 628 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hilton Smith, with 2.93 to Dutch Leonard's 3.25.
- Who won more games? Dutch Leonard, with 191 to Hilton Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dutch Leonard, with 1,170 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hilton Smith, with 1.11 to Dutch Leonard's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Dutch Leonard, with 3,218.1 to Hilton Smith's 975.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dutch Leonard, with 30 to Hilton Smith's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dutch Leonard, with 44,834 career Pitcher PIV to Hilton Smith's 37,558.
Dutch Leonard
Hilton Smith
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 | Dutch Leonard | Hilton Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 191 | 71 |
| Losses not scored | 181 | 38 |
| Games | Leads: 640 | 170 |
| Games Started | Leads: 374 | 104 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 192 | 63 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 30 | 8 |
| Saves | Leads: 44 | 16 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,170 | 628 |
| Walks not scored | 737 | 198 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,304 | 883 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 158 | 19 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,218.1 | 975.1 |
| ERA | 3.25 | Leads: 2.93 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 3.27 | Leads: 5.79 |
| BB/9 | 2.06 | Leads: 1.83 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dutch Leonard leads Hilton Smith 44,834 to 37,558 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Dutch Leonard played 20 seasons to Hilton Smith's 15, while Hilton Smith carries the higher per-season figure (2,504 to 2,242). 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).
Dutch Leonard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hilton Smith — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dutch Leonard leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Hilton Smith owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dutch Leonard. PIV agrees: Dutch Leonard grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dutch Leonard and Hilton Smith careers compare
The careers of Dutch Leonard (1933–1953) and Hilton Smith (?–1948) overlapped from 1948 to 1948, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 640 games of Dutch Leonard with 170 of Hilton Smith across 20 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Hilton Smith comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.93 to 3.25), WHIP (1.11 to 1.26), and strikeouts per nine (5.79 to 3.27). By rate, Dutch Leonard struck out 3.27 and walked 2.06 per nine innings; Hilton Smith struck out 5.79 and walked 1.83.
Dutch Leonard vs Hilton Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dutch Leonard or Hilton Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dutch Leonard leads Hilton Smith in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hilton Smith, with 2.93 to Dutch Leonard's 3.25.
- Who won more games?
- Dutch Leonard, with 191 to Hilton Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dutch Leonard, with 1,170 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hilton Smith, with 1.11 to Dutch Leonard's 1.26.