Billy Pierce vs Curt Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Pierce (1945–1964) and Curt Simmons (1947–1967) — both came up during the 1940s, so the matchup is a direct one. Billy Pierce compiled 211 wins and 1,999 strikeouts; Curt Simmons put up 193 wins and 1,697 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Billy Pierce
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Billy Pierce | Curt Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 211 | 193 |
| Losses | 169 | 183 |
| Games | 585 | 569 |
| Games Started | 432 | 462 |
| Complete Games | 193 | 163 |
| Shutouts | 38 | 36 |
| Saves | 32 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,999 | 1,697 |
| Walks | 1,178 | 1,063 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,989 | 3,313 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 284 | 255 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,306 | 3,348 |
| ERA | 3.27 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 5.44 | 4.56 |
| BB/9 | 3.21 | 2.86 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Pierce leads Curt Simmons 39,435 to 32,211 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,191 vs 1,400 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).
Billy Pierce — 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, Billy Pierce leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Curt Simmons owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Pierce. PIV agrees: Billy Pierce grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.