Dick Allen vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews 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). Dick Allen played 1963–1977 as a hitter; Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 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
Dick Allen (1963–1977) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Dick Allen finished with 1,848 hits and 351 home runs; Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Dick Allen's 351.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dick Allen, with .912 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dick Allen, with .292 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Dick Allen's 1,848.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Dick Allen's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Dick Allen's 40,487.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Dick Allen's 0.
Dick Allen
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dick Allen and Eddie Mathews. 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 1960s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dick Allen | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,749 | Leads: 2,391 |
| At-Bats | 6,332 | Leads: 8,537 |
| Runs | 1,099 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Hits | 1,848 | Leads: 2,315 |
| Doubles | 320 | Leads: 354 |
| Triples | Leads: 79 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 351 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 1,119 | Leads: 1,453 |
| Walks | 894 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,556 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 133 | 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .292 | .271 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .378 | .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .534 | .509 |
| OPS | Leads: .912 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews leads Dick Allen 45,555 to 40,487 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Dick Allen's 15, while Dick Allen carries the higher per-season figure (2,699 to 2,531). 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).
Dick Allen — top 3 seasons by OPS
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Dick Allen owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Mathews. PIV agrees: Eddie Mathews grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dick Allen and Eddie Mathews careers compare
The careers of Dick Allen (1963–1977) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) overlapped from 1963 to 1968, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,749 games for Dick Allen and 2,391 for Eddie Mathews across 15 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Dick Allen struck out more than walked (1,556 to 894); Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). On the bases, Dick Allen stole more often per game played (133 steals in 1,749 games for Dick Allen, 68 in 2,391 for Eddie Mathews). In slugging percentage, Dick Allen holds the edge, .534 to .509.
Dick Allen vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dick Allen or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Dick Allen in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Dick Allen or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Dick Allen's 351.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dick Allen, with .912 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dick Allen, with .292 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Dick Allen's 1,848.