Hank Aaron vs Rickey Henderson: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Aaron has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 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 Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Aaron finished with 3,771 hits and 755 home runs; Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 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 Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Aaron, with .928 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Aaron, with .305 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Rickey Henderson's 3,055.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Aaron, with 78,640 career PIV to Rickey Henderson's 37,642.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Hank Aaron's 1.
Hank Aaron
Rickey Henderson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Rickey Henderson. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Aaron | Rickey Henderson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,298 | 3,081 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 12,364 | 10,961 |
| Runs | 2,174 | Leads: 2,295 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,771 | 3,055 |
| Doubles | Leads: 624 | 510 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 66 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 297 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,115 |
| Walks | 1,402 | Leads: 2,190 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,383 | 1,694 |
| Stolen Bases | 240 | Leads: 1,406 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .401 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .555 | .419 |
| OPS | Leads: .928 | .820 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Aaron outpaces Rickey Henderson 78,640 to 37,642 — driven by per-season impact — 3,419 PIV per season to 1,298 — rather than by longevity, since Hank Aaron played 23 seasons to Rickey Henderson's 29. 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
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Aaron leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Rickey Henderson owns runs, stolen bases, 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 Rickey Henderson careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Hank Aaron's ended in 1976, and Rickey Henderson debuted in 1979. With 3,298 games against 3,081 across 23 and 29 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Rickey Henderson's edges on the table are runs (2,295 to 2,174), walks (2,190 to 1,402), and stolen bases (1,406 to 240). At the plate, Hank Aaron walked more often than struck out (1,402 walks, 1,383 strikeouts), and Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Hank Aaron's hits: 755 of 3,771 for Hank Aaron, 297 of 3,055 for Rickey Henderson.
Hank Aaron vs Rickey Henderson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Aaron or Rickey Henderson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Aaron leads Rickey Henderson in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Aaron or Rickey Henderson hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Aaron, with .928 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Aaron, with .305 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Rickey Henderson's 3,055.