Cap Anson vs Dan Brouthers: Career Stats Comparison
Cap Anson and Dan Brouthers are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Cap Anson played 1871–1897 as a hitter; Dan Brouthers played 1879–1904 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 Dan Brouthers (1879–1904) — both debuted in the 1870s. Cap Anson finished with 3,435 hits and 97 home runs; Dan Brouthers finished with 2,303 hits and 107 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Who hit more home runs? Dan Brouthers, with 107 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dan Brouthers, with .943 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dan Brouthers, with .342 to Cap Anson's .334.
- Who had more hits? Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Dan Brouthers's 2,303.
- Who drove in more runs? Cap Anson, with 2,075 to Dan Brouthers's 1,301.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dan Brouthers, with 52,914 career PIV to Cap Anson's 52,242.
Dan Brouthers
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cap Anson and Dan Brouthers. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cap Anson | Dan Brouthers |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,524 | 1,676 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,281 | 6,726 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,999 | 1,529 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,435 | 2,303 |
| Doubles | Leads: 582 | 462 |
| Triples | 142 | Leads: 206 |
| Home Runs | 97 | Leads: 107 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,075 | 1,301 |
| Walks | Leads: 984 | 840 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 330 | 238 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 277 | 257 |
| Batting Avg | .334 | Leads: .342 |
| On-Base % | .394 | Leads: .423 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .520 |
| OPS | .841 | Leads: .943 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dan Brouthers edges Cap Anson 52,914 to 52,242 — driven by per-season impact — 2,785 PIV per season to 1,935 — rather than by longevity, since Dan Brouthers played 19 seasons to Cap Anson's 27. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Dan Brouthers — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Cap Anson and Dan Brouthers split the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card 6-6. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Dan Brouthers higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cap Anson and Dan Brouthers careers compare
The careers of Cap Anson (1871–1897) and Dan Brouthers (1879–1904) overlapped from 1879 to 1897, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 2,524 games of Cap Anson with 1,676 of Dan Brouthers across 27 and 19 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. At the plate, Cap Anson walked more often than struck out (984 walks, 330 strikeouts), and Dan Brouthers walked more often than struck out (840 walks, 238 strikeouts). Dan Brouthers is the more power-leaning hitter, with 107 of 2,303 hits leaving the park.
Cap Anson vs Dan Brouthers: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cap Anson or Dan Brouthers?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Did Cap Anson or Dan Brouthers hit more home runs?
- Dan Brouthers, with 107 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dan Brouthers, with .943 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dan Brouthers, with .342 to Cap Anson's .334.
- Who had more hits?
- Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Dan Brouthers's 2,303.