Luke Appling vs Ernie Lombardi: Career Stats Comparison
Luke Appling has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Ernie Lombardi played 1931–1947 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 Ernie Lombardi (1931–1947) — 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; Ernie Lombardi finished with 1,792 hits and 190 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Luke Appling's 45.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ernie Lombardi, with .818 to Luke Appling's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average? Luke Appling, with .310 to Ernie Lombardi's .306.
- Who had more hits? Luke Appling, with 2,749 to Ernie Lombardi's 1,792.
- Who drove in more runs? Luke Appling, with 1,116 to Ernie Lombardi's 990.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Luke Appling, with 25,114 career PIV to Ernie Lombardi's 15,583.
- Who won more championships? Ernie Lombardi, with 1 World Series title to Luke Appling's 0.
Luke Appling
Ernie Lombardi
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Luke Appling and Ernie Lombardi. 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 | Ernie Lombardi |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,422 | 1,853 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,856 | 5,855 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,319 | 601 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,749 | 1,792 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 277 |
| Triples | Leads: 102 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 45 | Leads: 190 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,116 | 990 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,302 | 430 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 528 | 262 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 179 | 8 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .310 | .306 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .399 | .358 |
| Slugging % | .398 | Leads: .460 |
| OPS | .798 | Leads: .818 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Luke Appling outpaces Ernie Lombardi 25,114 to 15,583 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,256 PIV per season to 917, across 20 seasons to 17. 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
Ernie Lombardi — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Luke Appling leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ernie Lombardi owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Luke Appling. PIV agrees: Luke Appling 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 Ernie Lombardi careers compare
Luke Appling and Ernie Lombardi were active at the same time between 1931 and 1947. With 2,422 games against 1,853 across 20 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ernie Lombardi's edges on the table are home runs (190 to 45), slugging percentage (.460 to .398), and OPS (.818 to .798). At the plate, Luke Appling walked more often than struck out (1,302 walks, 528 strikeouts), and Ernie Lombardi walked more often than struck out (430 walks, 262 strikeouts). Ernie Lombardi is the more power-leaning hitter, with 190 of 1,792 hits leaving the park.
Luke Appling vs Ernie Lombardi: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Luke Appling or Ernie Lombardi?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Luke Appling leads Ernie Lombardi in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Luke Appling or Ernie Lombardi hit more home runs?
- Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Luke Appling's 45.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ernie Lombardi, with .818 to Luke Appling's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Luke Appling, with .310 to Ernie Lombardi's .306.
- Who had more hits?
- Luke Appling, with 2,749 to Ernie Lombardi's 1,792.