J. R. Richard vs Bob Veale: Career Stats Comparison
J. R. Richard (1971–1980) and Bob Veale (1962–1974) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. J. R. Richard compiled 107 wins and 1,493 strikeouts; Bob Veale put up 120 wins and 1,703 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | J. R. Richard | Bob Veale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 107 | 120 |
| Losses | 71 | 95 |
| Games | 238 | 397 |
| Games Started | 221 | 255 |
| Complete Games | 76 | 78 |
| Shutouts | 19 | 20 |
| Saves | 0 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | 1,493 | 1,703 |
| Walks | 770 | 858 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,227 | 1,684 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 73 | 91 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,606 | 1,926 |
| ERA | 3.15 | 3.07 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 8.37 | 7.96 |
| BB/9 | 4.32 | 4.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), J. R. Richard edges Bob Veale 38,918 to 36,615 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,892 vs 2,615 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).
J. R. Richard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Veale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Veale leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while J. R. Richard owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Veale. Note that PIV actually grades J. R. Richard ahead, which means Bob Veale's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.