Lee Smith vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Career Stats Comparison
Hoyt Wilhelm has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lee Smith played 1980–1997 as a pitcher; Hoyt Wilhelm played 1952–1972 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
Lee Smith (1980–1997) and Hoyt Wilhelm (1952–1972) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lee Smith finished with 71 wins and 1,251 strikeouts; Hoyt Wilhelm finished with 143 wins and 1,610 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2.52 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 143 to Lee Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1,610 to Lee Smith's 1,251.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1.12 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2,254.1 to Lee Smith's 1,289.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 5 to Lee Smith's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 40,894 career Pitcher PIV to Lee Smith's 33,335.
Lee Smith
Hoyt Wilhelm
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 1980s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lee Smith | Hoyt Wilhelm |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 71 | Leads: 143 |
| Losses not scored | 92 | 122 |
| Games | 1,022 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Games Started | 6 | Leads: 52 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 20 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 478 | 227 |
| Strikeouts | 1,251 | Leads: 1,610 |
| Walks not scored | 486 | 778 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,133 | 1,757 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 89 | 150 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,289.1 | Leads: 2,254.1 |
| ERA | 3.03 | Leads: 2.52 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.73 | 6.43 |
| BB/9 | 3.39 | Leads: 3.11 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hoyt Wilhelm leads Lee Smith 40,894 to 33,335 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Hoyt Wilhelm played 26 seasons to Lee Smith's 21, while Lee Smith carries the higher per-season figure (1,587 to 1,573). 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).
Lee Smith
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Hoyt Wilhelm — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hoyt Wilhelm leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Lee Smith owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hoyt Wilhelm. PIV agrees: Hoyt Wilhelm grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lee Smith and Hoyt Wilhelm careers compare
Hoyt Wilhelm (1952–1972) was finished before Lee Smith (1980–1997) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 1,022 games against 1,070 across 21 and 26 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Lee Smith comes out ahead, it is in saves (478 to 227) and strikeouts per nine (8.73 to 6.43). The per-nine rows read 8.73 strikeouts and 3.39 walks for Lee Smith, 6.43 and 3.11 for Hoyt Wilhelm. Both had the same role: Lee Smith worked mostly in relief (6 starts in 1,022 games, 478 saves); Hoyt Wilhelm worked mostly in relief (52 starts in 1,070 games, 227 saves). In WHIP, Hoyt Wilhelm's 1.12 beats Lee Smith's 1.26.
Lee Smith vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lee Smith or Hoyt Wilhelm?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hoyt Wilhelm leads Lee Smith in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2.52 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 143 to Lee Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1,610 to Lee Smith's 1,251.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1.12 to Lee Smith's 1.26.