Hal Newhouser vs Claude Passeau: Career Stats Comparison
Hal Newhouser has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 as a pitcher; Claude Passeau played 1935–1947 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 Claude Passeau (1935–1947) — both came up during the 1930s, so the matchup is a direct one. Hal Newhouser compiled 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts; Claude Passeau put up 162 wins and 1,104 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 Claude Passeau's 3.32.
- Who won more games? Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Claude Passeau's 162.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Claude Passeau's 1,104.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Claude Passeau's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Hal Newhouser, with 2,993 to Claude Passeau's 2,719.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to Claude Passeau's 26.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Claude Passeau's 39,598.
Hal Newhouser
Claude Passeau
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Hal Newhouser | Claude Passeau |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 207 | 162 |
| Losses | 150 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 488 | 444 |
| Games Started | Leads: 374 | 331 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 212 | 188 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 33 | 26 |
| Saves | Leads: 26 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,796 | 1,104 |
| Walks | 1,249 | 728 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,674 | 2,856 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 137 | 105 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,993 | 2,719 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.32 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.31 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.40 | 3.65 |
| BB/9 | 3.76 | Leads: 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser leads Claude Passeau 43,492 to 39,598 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,558 vs 2,828 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Claude Passeau — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Claude Passeau 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
Hal Newhouser vs Claude Passeau: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hal Newhouser or Claude Passeau?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hal Newhouser leads Claude Passeau in 11 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Claude Passeau's 3.32.
- Who won more games?
- Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Claude Passeau's 162.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Claude Passeau's 1,104.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Claude Passeau's 1.32.