Satchel Paige vs Claude Passeau: Career Stats Comparison
Satchel Paige and Claude Passeau are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Satchel Paige played 1948–1965 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
Satchel Paige (1948–1965) and Claude Passeau (1935–1947) — breaking in during the 1940s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Satchel Paige finished with 143 wins and 1,695 strikeouts; Claude Passeau finished with 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? Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Claude Passeau's 3.32.
- Who won more games? Claude Passeau, with 162 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Satchel Paige, with 1,695 to Claude Passeau's 1,104.
- Who had the better WHIP? Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Claude Passeau's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Claude Passeau, with 2,719.2 to Satchel Paige's 1,962.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Satchel Paige, with 28 to Claude Passeau's 26.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Satchel Paige, with 77,694 career Pitcher PIV to Claude Passeau's 39,598.
Satchel Paige
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. 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 1940s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Satchel Paige | Claude Passeau |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 162 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 150 |
| Games | 438 | Leads: 444 |
| Games Started | 226 | Leads: 331 |
| Complete Games | 116 | Leads: 188 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 28 | 26 |
| Saves | Leads: 47 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,695 | 1,104 |
| Walks not scored | 533 | 728 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,647 | 2,856 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 66 | 105 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,962.2 | Leads: 2,719.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.77 | 3.32 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.77 | 3.65 |
| BB/9 | 2.44 | Leads: 2.41 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Satchel Paige outpaces Claude Passeau 77,694 to 39,598 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Satchel Paige played 28 seasons to Claude Passeau's 14, while Claude Passeau carries the higher per-season figure (2,828 to 2,775). 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).
Satchel Paige — 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, Satchel Paige leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Claude Passeau owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Satchel Paige. PIV agrees: Satchel Paige grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Satchel Paige and Claude Passeau careers compare
No season is shared: Claude Passeau played 1935–1947, Satchel Paige 1948–1965. The two careers are close in length, 438 games for Satchel Paige and 444 for Claude Passeau across 28 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 7.77 strikeouts and 2.44 walks for Satchel Paige, 3.65 and 2.41 for Claude Passeau. Their roles differ: Satchel Paige split time between starting and relief (226 starts in 438 games); Claude Passeau was mainly a starter (331 starts in 444 games). In WHIP, Satchel Paige's 1.11 beats Claude Passeau's 1.32.
Satchel Paige vs Claude Passeau: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Claude Passeau's 3.32.
- Who won more games?
- Claude Passeau, with 162 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Satchel Paige, with 1,695 to Claude Passeau's 1,104.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Claude Passeau's 1.32.