Hank Aaron vs Joe DiMaggio: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Aaron has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Joe DiMaggio played 1936–1951 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 Joe DiMaggio (1936–1951) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Aaron finished with 3,771 hits and 755 home runs; Joe DiMaggio finished with 2,214 hits and 361 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 Joe DiMaggio's 361.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Hank Aaron's .928.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Hank Aaron's .305.
- Who had more hits? Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Joe DiMaggio's 1,537.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Aaron, with 78,640 career PIV to Joe DiMaggio's 47,427.
- Who won more championships? Joe DiMaggio, with 9 World Series titles to Hank Aaron's 1.
Hank Aaron
Joe DiMaggio
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Joe DiMaggio. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Aaron | Joe DiMaggio |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,298 | 1,736 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 12,364 | 6,821 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,174 | 1,390 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,771 | 2,214 |
| Doubles | Leads: 624 | 389 |
| Triples | 98 | Leads: 131 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 361 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,537 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,402 | 790 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,383 | 369 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 240 | 30 |
| Batting Avg | .305 | Leads: .325 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .398 |
| Slugging % | .555 | Leads: .579 |
| OPS | .928 | Leads: .977 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Aaron outpaces Joe DiMaggio 78,640 to 47,427 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Hank Aaron played 23 seasons to Joe DiMaggio's 13, while Joe DiMaggio carries the higher per-season figure (3,648 to 3,419). 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
Joe DiMaggio — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Aaron leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Joe DiMaggio owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Aaron. PIV agrees: Hank Aaron 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 Joe DiMaggio careers compare
Joe DiMaggio (1936–1951) was finished before Hank Aaron (1954–1976) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 3,298 games of Hank Aaron with 1,736 of Joe DiMaggio across 23 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. At the plate, Hank Aaron walked more often than struck out (1,402 walks, 1,383 strikeouts), and Joe DiMaggio walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 369 strikeouts). Hank Aaron was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. On the peak-season lists, Hank Aaron's best year is 1971 at 1.079 OPS and Joe DiMaggio's is 1939 at 1.119 OPS; Joe DiMaggio has the stronger single season.
Hank Aaron vs Joe DiMaggio: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Aaron or Joe DiMaggio?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Aaron leads Joe DiMaggio in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Aaron or Joe DiMaggio hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Joe DiMaggio's 361.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Hank Aaron's .928.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Hank Aaron's .305.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.