Cap Anson vs Lou Gehrig: Career Stats Comparison
Cap Anson and Lou Gehrig are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Cap Anson played 1871–1897 as a hitter; Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 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 Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) — 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; Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Cap Anson's .334.
- Who had more hits? Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Cap Anson, with 2,075 to Lou Gehrig's 1,995.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Cap Anson's 52,242.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Cap Anson's 0.
Lou Gehrig
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cap Anson and Lou Gehrig. 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 | Lou Gehrig |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,524 | 2,164 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,281 | 8,001 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,999 | 1,888 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,435 | 2,721 |
| Doubles | Leads: 582 | 534 |
| Triples | 142 | Leads: 163 |
| Home Runs | 97 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,075 | 1,995 |
| Walks | 984 | Leads: 1,508 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 330 | 790 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 277 | 102 |
| Batting Avg | .334 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | .394 | Leads: .447 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .632 |
| OPS | .841 | Leads: 1.080 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Cap Anson 81,072 to 52,242 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 1,935 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Cap Anson's 27. 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
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in home runs, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Cap Anson owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Gehrig. PIV agrees: Lou Gehrig 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 Lou Gehrig careers compare
No season is shared: Cap Anson played 1871–1897, Lou Gehrig 1923–1939. The two careers are close in length, 2,524 games for Cap Anson and 2,164 for Lou Gehrig across 27 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Cap Anson walked more often than struck out (984 walks, 330 strikeouts); Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Lou Gehrig's hits: 97 of 3,435 for Cap Anson, 493 of 2,721 for Lou Gehrig. Cap Anson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Lou Gehrig's on-base percentage of .447 tops Cap Anson's .394.
Cap Anson vs Lou Gehrig: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Cap Anson or Lou Gehrig hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Cap Anson's .334.
- Who had more hits?
- Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.