Lefty Grove vs Dazzy Vance: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 as a pitcher; Dazzy Vance played 1915–1935 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Lefty Grove (1925–1941) and Dazzy Vance (1915–1935) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1910s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lefty Grove compiled 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts; Dazzy Vance put up 197 wins and 2,045 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Dazzy Vance's 3.24.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Dazzy Vance's 197.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Dazzy Vance's 2,045.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dazzy Vance, with 1.23 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940 to Dazzy Vance's 2,966.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Dazzy Vance's 29.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Dazzy Vance's 70,553.
Lefty Grove
Dazzy Vance
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. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Lefty Grove | Dazzy Vance |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 300 | 197 |
| Losses | 141 | 140 |
| Games | Leads: 616 | 442 |
| Games Started | Leads: 457 | 347 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 298 | 216 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 29 |
| Saves | Leads: 55 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,266 | 2,045 |
| Walks | 1,187 | 840 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,849 | 2,809 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 162 | 132 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,940 | 2,966 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.24 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.23 |
| K/9 | 5.18 | Leads: 6.20 |
| BB/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 2.55 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove leads Dazzy Vance 81,321 to 70,553 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,784 vs 3,920 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).
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dazzy Vance — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lefty Grove leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Dazzy Vance owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lefty Grove. PIV agrees: Lefty Grove grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Lefty Grove vs Dazzy Vance: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Grove or Dazzy Vance?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Dazzy Vance in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Dazzy Vance's 3.24.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Dazzy Vance's 197.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Dazzy Vance's 2,045.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dazzy Vance, with 1.23 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.