Bob Rush vs Warren Spahn: Career Stats Comparison
Warren Spahn 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). Bob Rush played 1948–1960 as a pitcher; Warren Spahn played 1942–1965 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
Bob Rush (1948–1960) and Warren Spahn (1942–1965) — both debuted in the 1940s. Bob Rush finished with 127 wins and 1,244 strikeouts; Warren Spahn finished with 363 wins and 2,583 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Warren Spahn, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Bob Rush's 3.65.
- Who won more games? Warren Spahn, with 363 to Bob Rush's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Bob Rush's 1,244.
- Who had the better WHIP? Warren Spahn, with 1.19 to Bob Rush's 1.29.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bob Rush 2,410.2, Warren Spahn 5,243.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Warren Spahn, with 63 to Bob Rush's 16.
Bob Rush
Warren Spahn
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 | Bob Rush | Warren Spahn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 127 | Leads: 363 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 245 |
| Games not scored | 417 | 750 |
| Games Started not scored | 321 | 665 |
| Complete Games | 118 | Leads: 382 |
| Shutouts | 16 | Leads: 63 |
| Saves not scored | 8 | 29 |
| Strikeouts | 1,244 | Leads: 2,583 |
| Walks not scored | 789 | 1,434 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,327 | 4,830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 177 | 434 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,410.2 | 5,243.2 |
| ERA | 3.65 | Leads: 3.09 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.64 | 4.43 |
| BB/9 | 2.95 | Leads: 2.46 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Warren Spahn outpaces Bob Rush 63,558 to 35,739 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,027 PIV per season to 2,749, across 21 seasons to 13. 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).
Bob Rush — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Warren Spahn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Warren Spahn leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Bob Rush leads 1: strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Warren Spahn. PIV agrees: Warren Spahn grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Rush and Warren Spahn careers compare
From 1948 through 1960, Bob Rush and Warren Spahn were in the majors together. The table compares 417 games of Bob Rush with 750 of Warren Spahn across 13 and 21 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Bob Rush comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (4.64 to 4.43). The per-nine rows read 4.64 strikeouts and 2.95 walks for Bob Rush, 4.43 and 2.46 for Warren Spahn. Bob Rush was mainly a starter (321 starts in 417 games), and Warren Spahn was mainly a starter (665 starts in 750 games). The complete-game row, 118 against 382, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Bob Rush vs Warren Spahn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Rush or Warren Spahn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Warren Spahn leads Bob Rush in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Bob Rush's 3.65.
- Who won more games?
- Warren Spahn, with 363 to Bob Rush's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Bob Rush's 1,244.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Warren Spahn, with 1.19 to Bob Rush's 1.29.