Hank Aaron vs Charlie Gehringer: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Aaron has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Charlie Gehringer played 1924–1942 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 Charlie Gehringer (1924–1942) — 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; Charlie Gehringer finished with 2,839 hits and 184 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 Charlie Gehringer's 184.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Aaron, with .928 to Charlie Gehringer's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average? Charlie Gehringer, with .320 to Hank Aaron's .305.
- Who had more hits? Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Charlie Gehringer's 2,839.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Charlie Gehringer's 1,427.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Aaron, with 78,640 career PIV to Charlie Gehringer's 39,288.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Hank Aaron
Charlie Gehringer
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Charlie Gehringer. 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 | Charlie Gehringer |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,298 | 2,323 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 12,364 | 8,860 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,174 | 1,774 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,771 | 2,839 |
| Doubles | Leads: 624 | 574 |
| Triples | 98 | Leads: 146 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 184 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,427 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,402 | 1,186 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,383 | 372 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 240 | 181 |
| Batting Avg | .305 | Leads: .320 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .404 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .555 | .480 |
| OPS | Leads: .928 | .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Aaron outpaces Charlie Gehringer 78,640 to 39,288 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,419 PIV per season to 2,068, across 23 seasons to 19. 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
Charlie Gehringer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Aaron leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Charlie Gehringer owns batting average and OBP. 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 Charlie Gehringer careers compare
Charlie Gehringer (1924–1942) was finished before Hank Aaron (1954–1976) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 3,298 games against 2,323 across 23 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Charlie Gehringer comes out ahead, it is in triples (146 to 98), batting average (.320 to .305), and on-base percentage (.404 to .374). Hank Aaron walked more often than struck out (1,402 walks, 1,383 strikeouts); Charlie Gehringer walked more often than struck out (1,186 walks, 372 strikeouts). Hank Aaron is the more power-leaning hitter, with 755 of 3,771 hits leaving the park. Charlie Gehringer was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Hank Aaron vs Charlie Gehringer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Aaron or Charlie Gehringer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Aaron leads Charlie Gehringer in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Aaron or Charlie Gehringer hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Charlie Gehringer's 184.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Aaron, with .928 to Charlie Gehringer's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Charlie Gehringer, with .320 to Hank Aaron's .305.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Charlie Gehringer's 2,839.