Hal Newhouser vs Bobo Newsom: Career Stats Comparison
Hal Newhouser and Bobo Newsom are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 as a pitcher; Bobo Newsom played 1929–1953 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
Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) and Bobo Newsom (1929–1953) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts; Bobo Newsom finished with 211 wins and 2,082 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 Bobo Newsom's 3.98.
- Who won more games? Bobo Newsom, with 211 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bobo Newsom, with 2,082 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Bobo Newsom's 1.46.
- Who pitched more innings? Bobo Newsom, with 3,759.1 to Hal Newhouser's 2,993.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to Bobo Newsom's 31.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Bobo Newsom's 8,043.
Hal Newhouser
Bobo Newsom
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 1930s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hal Newhouser | Bobo Newsom |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 207 | Leads: 211 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 222 |
| Games | 488 | Leads: 600 |
| Games Started | 374 | Leads: 483 |
| Complete Games | 212 | Leads: 246 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 33 | 31 |
| Saves | Leads: 26 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | 1,796 | Leads: 2,082 |
| Walks not scored | 1,249 | 1,732 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,674 | 3,769 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 137 | 206 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,993.0 | Leads: 3,759.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.98 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.31 | 1.46 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.40 | 4.98 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.76 | 4.15 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Bobo Newsom 43,492 to 8,043 — driven by per-season impact — 2,558 PIV per season to 277 — rather than by longevity, since Hal Newhouser played 17 seasons to Bobo Newsom's 29. 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).
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bobo Newsom — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bobo Newsom owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. 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 Hal Newhouser and Bobo Newsom careers compare
From 1939 through 1953, Hal Newhouser and Bobo Newsom were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 488 games for Hal Newhouser and 600 for Bobo Newsom across 17 and 29 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Hal Newhouser struck out 5.40 and walked 3.76 per nine innings; Bobo Newsom struck out 4.98 and walked 4.15. Both had the same role: Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games); Bobo Newsom was mainly a starter (483 starts in 600 games). In WHIP, Hal Newhouser's 1.31 beats Bobo Newsom's 1.46.
Hal Newhouser vs Bobo Newsom: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Bobo Newsom's 3.98.
- Who won more games?
- Bobo Newsom, with 211 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bobo Newsom, with 2,082 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Bobo Newsom's 1.46.