Cap Anson vs Jim Bottomley: Career Stats Comparison
Cap Anson 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). Cap Anson played 1871–1897 as a hitter; Jim Bottomley played 1922–1937 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
Cap Anson (1871–1897) and Jim Bottomley (1922–1937) — they broke in during the 1870s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cap Anson finished with 3,435 hits and 97 home runs; Jim Bottomley finished with 2,313 hits and 219 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Bottomley, with 219 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Bottomley, with .869 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Cap Anson, with .334 to Jim Bottomley's .310.
- Who had more hits? Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Jim Bottomley's 2,313.
- Who drove in more runs? Cap Anson, with 2,075 to Jim Bottomley's 1,422.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Cap Anson, with 52,242 career PIV to Jim Bottomley's 25,340.
- Who won more championships? Jim Bottomley, with 2 World Series titles to Cap Anson's 0.
Jim Bottomley
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cap Anson and Jim Bottomley. 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 1870s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cap Anson | Jim Bottomley |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,524 | 1,991 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,281 | 7,471 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,999 | 1,177 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,435 | 2,313 |
| Doubles | Leads: 582 | 465 |
| Triples | 142 | Leads: 151 |
| Home Runs | 97 | Leads: 219 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,075 | 1,422 |
| Walks | Leads: 984 | 664 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 330 | 591 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 277 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .334 | .310 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .369 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .500 |
| OPS | .841 | Leads: .869 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cap Anson outpaces Jim Bottomley 52,242 to 25,340 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,935 PIV per season to 1,584, across 27 seasons to 16. 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).
Cap Anson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Bottomley — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cap Anson leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Jim Bottomley owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cap Anson. PIV agrees: Cap Anson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cap Anson and Jim Bottomley careers compare
No season is shared: Cap Anson played 1871–1897, Jim Bottomley 1922–1937. The two careers are close in length, 2,524 games for Cap Anson and 1,991 for Jim Bottomley across 27 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Jim Bottomley comes out ahead, it is in triples (151 to 142), home runs (219 to 97), and slugging percentage (.500 to .447). Cap Anson walked more often than struck out (984 walks, 330 strikeouts); Jim Bottomley walked more often than struck out (664 walks, 591 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Jim Bottomley's hits: 97 of 3,435 for Cap Anson, 219 of 2,313 for Jim Bottomley.
Cap Anson vs Jim Bottomley: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cap Anson or Jim Bottomley?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cap Anson leads Jim Bottomley in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cap Anson or Jim Bottomley hit more home runs?
- Jim Bottomley, with 219 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Bottomley, with .869 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Cap Anson, with .334 to Jim Bottomley's .310.
- Who had more hits?
- Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Jim Bottomley's 2,313.