Hank Aaron vs Ty Cobb: Career Stats Comparison
Ty Cobb has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Hank Aaron played 1954–1976 as a hitter; Ty Cobb played 1905–1928 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Hank Aaron (1954–1976) and Ty Cobb (1905–1928) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1900s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Aaron finished with 3,771 hits and 755 home runs; Ty Cobb finished with 4,189 hits and 117 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Aaron, with 755 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ty Cobb, with .945 to Hank Aaron's .928.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ty Cobb, with .366 to Hank Aaron's .305.
- Who had more hits? Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Hank Aaron's 3,771.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Ty Cobb's 1,944.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ty Cobb, with 87,488 career PIV to Hank Aaron's 78,640.
- Who won more championships? Hank Aaron, with 1 World Series title to Ty Cobb's 0.
Hank Aaron
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Ty Cobb. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1950s and the 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Aaron | Ty Cobb |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,298 | 3,035 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 12,364 | 11,436 |
| Runs | 2,174 | Leads: 2,247 |
| Hits | 3,771 | Leads: 4,189 |
| Doubles | 624 | Leads: 724 |
| Triples | 98 | Leads: 295 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 117 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,944 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,402 | 1,249 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,383 | 680 |
| Stolen Bases | 240 | Leads: 896 |
| Batting Avg | .305 | Leads: .366 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .433 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .555 | .512 |
| OPS | .928 | Leads: .945 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ty Cobb leads Hank Aaron 87,488 to 78,640 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,645 PIV per season to 3,419, across 24 seasons to 23. 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 OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Hank Aaron — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ty Cobb — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ty Cobb leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Hank Aaron owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ty Cobb. PIV agrees: Ty Cobb grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Aaron and Ty Cobb careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Ty Cobb's ended in 1928, and Hank Aaron debuted in 1954. The two careers are close in length, 3,298 games for Hank Aaron and 3,035 for Ty Cobb across 23 and 24 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Hank Aaron walked more often than struck out (1,402 walks, 1,383 strikeouts), and Ty Cobb walked more often than struck out (1,249 walks, 680 strikeouts). Hank Aaron is the more power-leaning hitter, with 755 of 3,771 hits leaving the park. Ty Cobb was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Ty Cobb's on-base percentage of .433 tops Hank Aaron's .374.
Hank Aaron vs Ty Cobb: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Aaron or Ty Cobb?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ty Cobb leads Hank Aaron in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Aaron or Ty Cobb hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ty Cobb, with .945 to Hank Aaron's .928.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ty Cobb, with .366 to Hank Aaron's .305.
- Who had more hits?
- Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Hank Aaron's 3,771.