Luke Appling vs Joe DiMaggio: Career Stats Comparison
Luke Appling and Joe DiMaggio are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Luke Appling played 1930–1950 as a hitter; Joe DiMaggio played 1936–1951 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
Luke Appling (1930–1950) and Joe DiMaggio (1936–1951) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Luke Appling finished with 2,749 hits and 45 home runs; Joe DiMaggio finished with 2,214 hits and 361 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Joe DiMaggio, with 361 to Luke Appling's 45.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Luke Appling's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Luke Appling's .310.
- Who had more hits? Luke Appling, with 2,749 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe DiMaggio, with 1,537 to Luke Appling's 1,116.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe DiMaggio, with 47,427 career PIV to Luke Appling's 25,114.
- Who won more championships? Joe DiMaggio, with 9 World Series titles to Luke Appling's 0.
Luke Appling
Joe DiMaggio
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Luke Appling and Joe DiMaggio. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Luke Appling | Joe DiMaggio |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,422 | 1,736 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,856 | 6,821 |
| Runs | 1,319 | Leads: 1,390 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,749 | 2,214 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 389 |
| Triples | 102 | Leads: 131 |
| Home Runs | 45 | Leads: 361 |
| RBI | 1,116 | Leads: 1,537 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,302 | 790 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 528 | 369 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 179 | 30 |
| Batting Avg | .310 | Leads: .325 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .399 | .398 |
| Slugging % | .398 | Leads: .579 |
| OPS | .798 | Leads: .977 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe DiMaggio outpaces Luke Appling 47,427 to 25,114 — driven by per-season impact — 3,648 PIV per season to 1,256 — rather than by longevity, since Joe DiMaggio played 13 seasons to Luke Appling's 20. 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).
Luke Appling — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joe DiMaggio — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe DiMaggio leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Luke Appling owns hits, stolen bases, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe DiMaggio. PIV agrees: Joe DiMaggio grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Luke Appling and Joe DiMaggio careers compare
The careers of Luke Appling (1930–1950) and Joe DiMaggio (1936–1951) overlapped from 1936 to 1950, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,422 games for Luke Appling and 1,736 for Joe DiMaggio across 20 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Luke Appling walked more often than struck out (1,302 walks, 528 strikeouts); Joe DiMaggio walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 369 strikeouts). Joe DiMaggio is the more power-leaning hitter, with 361 of 2,214 hits leaving the park.
Luke Appling vs Joe DiMaggio: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Luke Appling or Joe DiMaggio hit more home runs?
- Joe DiMaggio, with 361 to Luke Appling's 45.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Luke Appling's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Luke Appling's .310.
- Who had more hits?
- Luke Appling, with 2,749 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.