Home Run Baker vs George Kell: Career Stats Comparison
Home Run Baker 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). Home Run Baker played 1908–1922 as a hitter; George Kell played 1943–1957 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
Home Run Baker (1908–1922) and George Kell (1943–1957) — they broke in during the 1900s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Home Run Baker finished with 1,838 hits and 96 home runs; George Kell finished with 2,054 hits and 78 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Home Run Baker, with 96 to George Kell's 78.
- Who had the higher OPS? Home Run Baker, with .805 to George Kell's .781.
- Who had the higher batting average? Home Run Baker, with .307 to George Kell's .306.
- Who had more hits? George Kell, with 2,054 to Home Run Baker's 1,838.
- Who drove in more runs? Home Run Baker, with 987 to George Kell's 870.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Home Run Baker, with 22,634 career PIV to George Kell's 12,722.
- Who won more championships? Home Run Baker, with 3 World Series titles to George Kell's 0.
Home Run Baker
George Kell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Home Run Baker and George Kell. 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 1900s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Home Run Baker | George Kell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,575 | Leads: 1,795 |
| At-Bats | 5,984 | Leads: 6,702 |
| Runs | Leads: 887 | 881 |
| Hits | 1,838 | Leads: 2,054 |
| Doubles | 315 | Leads: 385 |
| Triples | Leads: 103 | 50 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 96 | 78 |
| RBI | Leads: 987 | 870 |
| Walks | 473 | Leads: 621 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 344 | 287 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 235 | 51 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .307 | .306 |
| On-Base % | .363 | Leads: .367 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .442 | .414 |
| OPS | Leads: .805 | .781 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Home Run Baker outpaces George Kell 22,634 to 12,722 — driven by per-season impact — 1,741 PIV per season to 670 — rather than by longevity, since Home Run Baker played 13 seasons to George Kell's 19. 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).
Home Run Baker — top 3 seasons by OPS
George Kell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Home Run Baker leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while George Kell owns hits and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Home Run Baker. PIV agrees: Home Run Baker grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Home Run Baker and George Kell careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Home Run Baker's ended in 1922, and George Kell debuted in 1943. With 1,575 games against 1,795 across 13 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Home Run Baker walked more often than struck out (473 walks, 344 strikeouts); George Kell walked more often than struck out (621 walks, 287 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Home Run Baker's hits: 96 of 1,838 for Home Run Baker, 78 of 2,054 for George Kell. Home Run Baker was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, George Kell holds the edge, .367 to .363.
Home Run Baker vs George Kell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Home Run Baker or George Kell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Home Run Baker leads George Kell in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Home Run Baker or George Kell hit more home runs?
- Home Run Baker, with 96 to George Kell's 78.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Home Run Baker, with .805 to George Kell's .781.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Home Run Baker, with .307 to George Kell's .306.
- Who had more hits?
- George Kell, with 2,054 to Home Run Baker's 1,838.