Luke Appling vs Hank Greenberg: Career Stats Comparison
Luke Appling 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). Luke Appling played 1930–1950 as a hitter; Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 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 Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) — 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; Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Luke Appling's 45.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Luke Appling's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Luke Appling's .310.
- Who had more hits? Luke Appling, with 2,749 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Greenberg, with 1,276 to Luke Appling's 1,116.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Greenberg, with 43,523 career PIV to Luke Appling's 25,114.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Luke Appling's 0.
Luke Appling
Hank Greenberg
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Luke Appling and Hank Greenberg. 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 | Hank Greenberg |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,422 | 1,394 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,856 | 5,193 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,319 | 1,051 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,749 | 1,628 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 379 |
| Triples | Leads: 102 | 71 |
| Home Runs | 45 | Leads: 331 |
| RBI | 1,116 | Leads: 1,276 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,302 | 852 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 528 | 844 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 179 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .310 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .399 | Leads: .412 |
| Slugging % | .398 | Leads: .605 |
| OPS | .798 | Leads: 1.017 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Greenberg outpaces Luke Appling 43,523 to 25,114 — driven by per-season impact — 3,348 PIV per season to 1,256 — rather than by longevity, since Hank Greenberg 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
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Greenberg leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Luke Appling owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Greenberg. PIV agrees: Hank Greenberg 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 Hank Greenberg careers compare
From 1930 through 1947, Luke Appling and Hank Greenberg were in the majors together. Luke Appling has the far longer record, 2,422 games against 1,394 across 20 and 13 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Luke Appling walked more often than struck out (1,302 walks, 528 strikeouts); Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts). Hank Greenberg is the more power-leaning hitter, with 331 of 1,628 hits leaving the park. Luke Appling was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Hank Greenberg holds the edge, .605 to .398.
Luke Appling vs Hank Greenberg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Luke Appling or Hank Greenberg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Luke Appling leads Hank Greenberg in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Luke Appling or Hank Greenberg hit more home runs?
- Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Luke Appling's 45.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Luke Appling's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Luke Appling's .310.
- Who had more hits?
- Luke Appling, with 2,749 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.