Earl Averill vs Chuck Klein: Career Stats Comparison
Chuck Klein has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Earl Averill played 1929–1941 as a hitter; Chuck Klein played 1928–1944 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
Earl Averill (1929–1941) and Chuck Klein (1928–1944) — both broke in during the 1920s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Earl Averill finished with 2,019 hits and 238 home runs; Chuck Klein finished with 2,076 hits and 300 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Chuck Klein, with 300 to Earl Averill's 238.
- Who had the higher OPS? Earl Averill, with .928 to Chuck Klein's .922.
- Who had the higher batting average? Chuck Klein, with .320 to Earl Averill's .318.
- Who had more hits? Chuck Klein, with 2,076 to Earl Averill's 2,019.
- Who drove in more runs? Chuck Klein, with 1,201 to Earl Averill's 1,164.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Earl Averill, with 33,953 career PIV to Chuck Klein's 32,687.
Earl Averill
Chuck Klein
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Earl Averill and Chuck Klein. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Earl Averill | Chuck Klein |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,668 | Leads: 1,753 |
| At-Bats | 6,353 | Leads: 6,486 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,224 | 1,168 |
| Hits | 2,019 | Leads: 2,076 |
| Doubles | Leads: 401 | 398 |
| Triples | Leads: 128 | 74 |
| Home Runs | 238 | Leads: 300 |
| RBI | 1,164 | Leads: 1,201 |
| Walks | Leads: 774 | 601 |
| Strikeouts | 518 | 521 |
| Stolen Bases | 70 | Leads: 79 |
| Batting Avg | .318 | Leads: .320 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .395 | .379 |
| Slugging % | .534 | Leads: .543 |
| OPS | Leads: .928 | .922 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Earl Averill edges Chuck Klein 33,953 to 32,687 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,425 vs 1,720 per year). 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).
Earl Averill — top 3 seasons by OPS
Chuck Klein — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chuck Klein leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and stolen bases, while Earl Averill owns runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chuck Klein. Note that PIV actually grades Earl Averill ahead, which means Chuck Klein's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Earl Averill vs Chuck Klein: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Earl Averill or Chuck Klein?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chuck Klein leads Earl Averill in 8 of 14 categories.
- Did Earl Averill or Chuck Klein hit more home runs?
- Chuck Klein, with 300 to Earl Averill's 238.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Earl Averill, with .928 to Chuck Klein's .922.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Chuck Klein, with .320 to Earl Averill's .318.
- Who had more hits?
- Chuck Klein, with 2,076 to Earl Averill's 2,019.