Larry Jackson vs Warren Spahn: Career Stats Comparison
Warren Spahn has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Larry Jackson played 1955–1968 as a pitcher; Warren Spahn played 1942–1965 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
Larry Jackson (1955–1968) and Warren Spahn (1942–1965) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Larry Jackson finished with 194 wins and 1,709 strikeouts; Warren Spahn finished with 363 wins and 2,583 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Larry Jackson's 3.40.
- Who won more games? Warren Spahn, with 363 to Larry Jackson's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Larry Jackson's 1,709.
- Who had the better WHIP? Warren Spahn, with 1.19 to Larry Jackson's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Warren Spahn, with 5,243.2 to Larry Jackson's 3,262.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Warren Spahn, with 63 to Larry Jackson's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Warren Spahn, with 63,558 career Pitcher PIV to Larry Jackson's 30,735.
Larry Jackson
Warren Spahn
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. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. 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, and the 1950s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Larry Jackson | Warren Spahn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 363 |
| Losses not scored | 183 | 245 |
| Games | 558 | Leads: 750 |
| Games Started | 429 | Leads: 665 |
| Complete Games | 149 | Leads: 382 |
| Shutouts | 37 | Leads: 63 |
| Saves | 20 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | 1,709 | Leads: 2,583 |
| Walks not scored | 824 | 1,434 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,206 | 4,830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 259 | 434 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,262.2 | Leads: 5,243.2 |
| ERA | 3.40 | Leads: 3.09 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.71 | 4.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.27 | 2.46 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Warren Spahn outpaces Larry Jackson 63,558 to 30,735 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,889 PIV per season to 2,049, across 22 seasons to 15. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Larry Jackson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Warren Spahn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Warren Spahn leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Larry Jackson owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Warren Spahn. PIV agrees: Warren Spahn grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Larry Jackson and Warren Spahn careers compare
From 1955 through 1965, Larry Jackson and Warren Spahn were in the majors together. With 558 games against 750 across 15 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Larry Jackson are strikeouts per nine (4.71 to 4.43) and walks per nine (2.27 to 2.46). The per-nine rows read 4.71 strikeouts and 2.27 walks for Larry Jackson, 4.43 and 2.46 for Warren Spahn. Both had the same role: Larry Jackson was mainly a starter (429 starts in 558 games); Warren Spahn was mainly a starter (665 starts in 750 games). In WHIP, Warren Spahn's 1.19 beats Larry Jackson's 1.24.
Larry Jackson vs Warren Spahn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Larry Jackson or Warren Spahn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Warren Spahn leads Larry Jackson in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Larry Jackson's 3.40.
- Who won more games?
- Warren Spahn, with 363 to Larry Jackson's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Larry Jackson's 1,709.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Warren Spahn, with 1.19 to Larry Jackson's 1.24.