Hank Aaron vs Lou Gehrig: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Aaron 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; Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 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 Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Aaron finished with 3,771 hits and 755 home runs; Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 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 Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Hank Aaron's .928.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Hank Aaron's .305.
- Who had more hits? Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Lou Gehrig's 1,995.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Hank Aaron's 78,640.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Hank Aaron's 1.
Hank Aaron
Lou Gehrig
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Lou Gehrig. 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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Aaron | Lou Gehrig |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,298 | 2,164 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 12,364 | 8,001 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,174 | 1,888 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,771 | 2,721 |
| Doubles | Leads: 624 | 534 |
| Triples | 98 | Leads: 163 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 493 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,995 |
| Walks | 1,402 | Leads: 1,508 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,383 | 790 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 240 | 102 |
| Batting Avg | .305 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .447 |
| Slugging % | .555 | Leads: .632 |
| OPS | .928 | Leads: 1.080 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig edges Hank Aaron 81,072 to 78,640 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 3,419 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Hank Aaron's 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
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Aaron leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Lou Gehrig owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Aaron. Note that PIV actually grades Lou Gehrig ahead, which means Hank Aaron's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Aaron and Lou Gehrig careers compare
No season is shared: Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939, Hank Aaron 1954–1976. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Hank Aaron appeared in 3,298 games to Lou Gehrig's 2,164. At the plate, Hank Aaron walked more often than struck out (1,402 walks, 1,383 strikeouts), and Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts). On the bases, Hank Aaron stole more often per game played (240 steals in 3,298 games for Hank Aaron, 102 in 2,164 for Lou Gehrig). In slugging percentage, Lou Gehrig holds the edge, .632 to .555.
Hank Aaron vs Lou Gehrig: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Aaron or Lou Gehrig?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Aaron leads Lou Gehrig in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Aaron or Lou Gehrig hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Hank Aaron's .928.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Hank Aaron's .305.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.