Bob Friend vs Larry Jackson: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Friend (1951–1966) and Larry Jackson (1955–1968) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bob Friend compiled 197 wins and 1,734 strikeouts; Larry Jackson put up 194 wins and 1,709 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Bob Friend
Larry Jackson
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 | Bob Friend | Larry Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 197 | 194 |
| Losses | 230 | 183 |
| Games | 602 | 558 |
| Games Started | 497 | 429 |
| Complete Games | 163 | 149 |
| Shutouts | 36 | 37 |
| Saves | 11 | 20 |
| Strikeouts | 1,734 | 1,709 |
| Walks | 894 | 824 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,772 | 3,206 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 286 | 259 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,611 | 3,262 |
| ERA | 3.58 | 3.40 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 4.32 | 4.71 |
| BB/9 | 2.23 | 2.27 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Friend outpaces Larry Jackson 45,735 to 30,735 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,690 vs 2,049 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).
Bob Friend — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Larry Jackson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Friend leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Larry Jackson owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Friend. PIV agrees: Bob Friend grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.