Larry French vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Larry French (1929–1942) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — 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; Hal Newhouser put up 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Larry French
Hal Newhouser
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 | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 197 | 207 |
| Losses | 171 | 150 |
| Games | 570 | 488 |
| Games Started | 384 | 374 |
| Complete Games | 198 | 212 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 33 |
| Saves | 17 | 26 |
| Strikeouts | 1,187 | 1,796 |
| Walks | 819 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,375 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 164 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,152 | 2,993 |
| ERA | 3.44 | 3.06 |
| WHIP | 1.33 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 3.39 | 5.40 |
| BB/9 | 2.34 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Larry French 43,492 to 31,032 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,558 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)
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Larry French owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hal Newhouser. PIV agrees: Hal Newhouser grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.