Larry French vs Claude Passeau: Career Stats Comparison
Larry French (1929–1942) and Claude Passeau (1935–1947) — 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; Claude Passeau put up 162 wins and 1,104 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Larry French
Claude Passeau
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 | Claude Passeau |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 197 | 162 |
| Losses | 171 | 150 |
| Games | 570 | 444 |
| Games Started | 384 | 331 |
| Complete Games | 198 | 188 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 26 |
| Saves | 17 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | 1,187 | 1,104 |
| Walks | 819 | 728 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,375 | 2,856 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 164 | 105 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,152 | 2,719 |
| ERA | 3.44 | 3.32 |
| WHIP | 1.33 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 3.39 | 3.65 |
| BB/9 | 2.34 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Claude Passeau leads Larry French 39,598 to 31,032 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,828 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)
Claude Passeau — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Claude Passeau leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Larry French owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Claude Passeau. PIV agrees: Claude Passeau grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.