Hal Newhouser vs Curt Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Hal Newhouser and Curt Simmons 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; Curt Simmons played 1947–1967 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 Curt Simmons (1947–1967) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts; Curt Simmons finished with 193 wins and 1,697 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 Curt Simmons's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Curt Simmons's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Curt Simmons's 1,697.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Curt Simmons, with 3,348.1 to Hal Newhouser's 2,993.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Curt Simmons, with 36 to Hal Newhouser's 33.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Curt Simmons's 32,211.
Hal Newhouser
Curt Simmons
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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hal Newhouser | Curt Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 207 | 193 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 183 |
| Games | 488 | Leads: 569 |
| Games Started | 374 | Leads: 462 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 212 | 163 |
| Shutouts | 33 | Leads: 36 |
| Saves | Leads: 26 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,796 | 1,697 |
| Walks not scored | 1,249 | 1,063 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,674 | 3,313 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 137 | 255 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,993.0 | Leads: 3,348.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.40 | 4.56 |
| BB/9 | 3.76 | Leads: 2.86 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Curt Simmons 43,492 to 32,211 — driven by per-season impact — 2,558 PIV per season to 1,400 — rather than by longevity, since Hal Newhouser played 17 seasons to Curt Simmons's 23. 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)
Curt Simmons — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Curt Simmons owns WHIP 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 Curt Simmons careers compare
Hal Newhouser and Curt Simmons were active at the same time between 1947 and 1955. The two careers are close in length, 488 games for Hal Newhouser and 569 for Curt Simmons across 17 and 23 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; Curt Simmons struck out 4.56 and walked 2.86. Both had the same role: Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games); Curt Simmons was mainly a starter (462 starts in 569 games). In WHIP, Curt Simmons's 1.31 beats Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
Hal Newhouser vs Curt Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Curt Simmons's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Curt Simmons's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Curt Simmons's 1,697.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.31.