Dean Chance vs J. R. Richard: Career Stats Comparison
Dean Chance (1961–1971) and J. R. Richard (1971–1980) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dean Chance compiled 128 wins and 1,534 strikeouts; J. R. Richard put up 107 wins and 1,493 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Dean Chance
J. R. Richard
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 | Dean Chance | J. R. Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 128 | 107 |
| Losses | 115 | 71 |
| Games | 406 | 238 |
| Games Started | 294 | 221 |
| Complete Games | 83 | 76 |
| Shutouts | 33 | 19 |
| Saves | 23 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,534 | 1,493 |
| Walks | 739 | 770 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,864 | 1,227 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 122 | 73 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,147 | 1,606 |
| ERA | 2.92 | 3.15 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 6.43 | 8.37 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | 4.32 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), J. R. Richard leads Dean Chance 38,918 to 30,038 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,892 vs 2,503 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).
Dean Chance — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
J. R. Richard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dean Chance leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while J. R. Richard owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dean Chance. Note that PIV actually grades J. R. Richard ahead, which means Dean Chance's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.