Bob Locker vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Career Stats Comparison
Hoyt Wilhelm 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 Locker played 1965–1975 as a pitcher; Hoyt Wilhelm played 1952–1972 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 Locker (1965–1975) and Hoyt Wilhelm (1952–1972) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Locker finished with 57 wins and 577 strikeouts; Hoyt Wilhelm finished with 143 wins and 1,610 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2.52 to Bob Locker's 2.75.
- Who won more games? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 143 to Bob Locker's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1,610 to Bob Locker's 577.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1.12 to Bob Locker's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2,254.1 to Bob Locker's 879.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 5 to Bob Locker's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 40,894 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Locker's 15,544.
Hoyt Wilhelm
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 1960s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Locker | Hoyt Wilhelm |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 57 | Leads: 143 |
| Losses not scored | 39 | 122 |
| Games | 576 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 52 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 20 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves | 95 | Leads: 227 |
| Strikeouts | 577 | Leads: 1,610 |
| Walks not scored | 257 | 778 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 776 | 1,757 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 40 | 150 |
| Innings Pitched | 879.0 | Leads: 2,254.1 |
| ERA | 2.75 | Leads: 2.52 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 5.91 | Leads: 6.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.63 | 3.11 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hoyt Wilhelm outpaces Bob Locker 40,894 to 15,544 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,573 PIV per season to 1,295, across 26 seasons to 12. 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 Locker — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Hoyt Wilhelm — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hoyt Wilhelm leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bob Locker owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hoyt Wilhelm. PIV agrees: Hoyt Wilhelm grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Locker and Hoyt Wilhelm careers compare
From 1965 through 1972, Bob Locker and Hoyt Wilhelm were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Bob Locker appeared in 576 games to Hoyt Wilhelm's 1,070. Bob Locker's edges on the table are walks per nine (2.63 to 3.11). By rate, Bob Locker struck out 5.91 and walked 2.63 per nine innings; Hoyt Wilhelm struck out 6.43 and walked 3.11. Bob Locker worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 576 games, 95 saves), and Hoyt Wilhelm worked mostly in relief (52 starts in 1,070 games, 227 saves). In WHIP, Hoyt Wilhelm's 1.12 beats Bob Locker's 1.18.
Bob Locker vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Locker or Hoyt Wilhelm?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hoyt Wilhelm leads Bob Locker in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2.52 to Bob Locker's 2.75.
- Who won more games?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 143 to Bob Locker's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1,610 to Bob Locker's 577.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1.12 to Bob Locker's 1.18.