Larry French vs Max Lanier: Career Stats Comparison
Larry French (1929–1942) and Max Lanier (1938–1953) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Larry French compiled 197 wins and 1,187 strikeouts; Max Lanier put up 108 wins and 821 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Larry French
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 | Larry French | Max Lanier |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 197 | 108 |
| Losses | 171 | 82 |
| Games | 570 | 327 |
| Games Started | 384 | 204 |
| Complete Games | 198 | 91 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 21 |
| Saves | 17 | 17 |
| Strikeouts | 1,187 | 821 |
| Walks | 819 | 611 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,375 | 1,490 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 164 | 65 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,152 | 1,619 |
| ERA | 3.44 | 3.01 |
| WHIP | 1.33 | 1.30 |
| K/9 | 3.39 | 4.56 |
| BB/9 | 2.34 | 3.40 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Larry French outpaces Max Lanier 31,032 to 23,060 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,069 vs 1,537 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).
Larry French — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Max Lanier — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Larry French leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Max Lanier owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Larry French. PIV agrees: Larry French grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.