Gaylord Perry vs J. R. Richard: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 as a pitcher; J. R. Richard played 1971–1980 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
Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) and J. R. Richard (1971–1980) — they debuted in the 1960s and the 1970s respectively and share 10 seasons. Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts; J. R. Richard finished with 107 wins and 1,493 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Gaylord Perry, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to J. R. Richard's 3.15.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to J. R. Richard's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to J. R. Richard's 1,493.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to J. R. Richard's 1.24.
- How many innings did each pitch? Gaylord Perry 5,350.1, J. R. Richard 1,606.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to J. R. Richard's 19.
Gaylord Perry
J. R. Richard
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Gaylord Perry | J. R. Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 314 | 107 |
| Losses not scored | 265 | 71 |
| Games not scored | 777 | 238 |
| Games Started not scored | 690 | 221 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 303 | 76 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 19 |
| Saves not scored | 11 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,534 | 1,493 |
| Walks not scored | 1,379 | 770 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,938 | 1,227 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 399 | 73 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,350.1 | 1,606.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.11 | 3.15 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 5.94 | Leads: 8.37 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.32 | 4.32 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces J. R. Richard 78,312 to 38,918 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Gaylord Perry played 22 seasons to J. R. Richard's 10, while J. R. Richard carries the higher per-season figure (3,892 to 3,560). 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).
Gaylord Perry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
J. R. Richard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Gaylord Perry leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. J. R. Richard leads 1: strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gaylord Perry. PIV agrees: Gaylord Perry grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gaylord Perry and J. R. Richard careers compare
The careers of Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) and J. R. Richard (1971–1980) overlapped from 1971 to 1980, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Gaylord Perry has the far longer record, 777 games against 238 across 22 and 10 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where J. R. Richard comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (8.37 to 5.94). The per-nine rows read 5.94 strikeouts and 2.32 walks for Gaylord Perry, 8.37 and 4.32 for J. R. Richard. Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games), and J. R. Richard was mainly a starter (221 starts in 238 games).
Gaylord Perry vs J. R. Richard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gaylord Perry or J. R. Richard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads J. R. Richard in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to J. R. Richard's 3.15.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to J. R. Richard's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to J. R. Richard's 1,493.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to J. R. Richard's 1.24.