Larry French vs Dutch Leonard: Career Stats Comparison
Larry French (1929–1942) and Dutch Leonard (1933–1953) — 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; Dutch Leonard put up 191 wins and 1,170 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Larry French
Dutch Leonard
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 | Dutch Leonard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 197 | 191 |
| Losses | 171 | 181 |
| Games | 570 | 640 |
| Games Started | 384 | 374 |
| Complete Games | 198 | 192 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 30 |
| Saves | 17 | 44 |
| Strikeouts | 1,187 | 1,170 |
| Walks | 819 | 737 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,375 | 3,304 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 164 | 158 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,152 | 3,218 |
| ERA | 3.44 | 3.25 |
| WHIP | 1.33 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 3.39 | 3.27 |
| BB/9 | 2.34 | 2.06 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dutch Leonard outpaces Larry French 44,834 to 31,032 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,242 vs 2,069 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)
Dutch Leonard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dutch Leonard leads in ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Larry French owns wins, strikeouts, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dutch Leonard. PIV agrees: Dutch Leonard grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.