Hal Newhouser vs Claude Passeau: Career Stats Comparison
Hal Newhouser has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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 debuted in the 1930s. Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts; Claude Passeau finished with 162 wins and 1,104 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Hal Newhouser, in 7 of the 8 scored 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.
- How many innings did each pitch? Hal Newhouser 2,993.0, Claude Passeau 2,719.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to Claude Passeau's 26.
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Hal Newhouser | Claude Passeau |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 207 | 162 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 150 |
| Games not scored | 488 | 444 |
| Games Started not scored | 374 | 331 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 212 | 188 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 33 | 26 |
| Saves not scored | 26 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,796 | 1,104 |
| Walks not scored | 1,249 | 728 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,674 | 2,856 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 137 | 105 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,993.0 | 2,719.2 |
| 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 longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Hal Newhouser played 17 seasons to Claude Passeau's 13, while Claude Passeau carries the higher per-season figure (3,046 to 2,558). 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
Hal Newhouser leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Claude Passeau leads 1: walks per nine. 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 Claude Passeau careers compare
From 1939 through 1947, Hal Newhouser and Claude Passeau were in the majors together. With 488 games against 444 across 17 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Claude Passeau are walks per nine (2.41 to 3.76). The per-nine rows read 5.40 strikeouts and 3.76 walks for Hal Newhouser, 3.65 and 2.41 for Claude Passeau. Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games), and Claude Passeau was mainly a starter (331 starts in 444 games). Hal Newhouser allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.31 WHIP to Claude Passeau's 1.32.
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 7 of the 8 scored 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.