Dave Bancroft vs Pee Wee Reese: Career Stats Comparison
Pee Wee Reese has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Dave Bancroft played 1915–1930 as a hitter; Pee Wee Reese played 1940–1958 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
Dave Bancroft (1915–1930) and Pee Wee Reese (1940–1958) — they broke in during the 1910s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Dave Bancroft finished with 2,004 hits and 32 home runs; Pee Wee Reese finished with 2,170 hits and 126 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Pee Wee Reese, with 126 to Dave Bancroft's 32.
- Who had the higher OPS? Pee Wee Reese, with .743 to Dave Bancroft's .714.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Bancroft, with .279 to Pee Wee Reese's .269.
- Who had more hits? Pee Wee Reese, with 2,170 to Dave Bancroft's 2,004.
- Who drove in more runs? Pee Wee Reese, with 885 to Dave Bancroft's 591.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pee Wee Reese, with 10,057 career PIV to Dave Bancroft's 4,247.
- Who won more championships? Dave Bancroft, with 2 World Series titles to Pee Wee Reese's 1.
Dave Bancroft
Pee Wee Reese
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dave Bancroft and Pee Wee Reese. 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 1910s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dave Bancroft | Pee Wee Reese |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,913 | Leads: 2,166 |
| At-Bats | 7,182 | Leads: 8,058 |
| Runs | 1,048 | Leads: 1,338 |
| Hits | 2,004 | Leads: 2,170 |
| Doubles | 320 | Leads: 330 |
| Triples | 77 | Leads: 80 |
| Home Runs | 32 | Leads: 126 |
| RBI | 591 | Leads: 885 |
| Walks | 827 | Leads: 1,210 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 487 | 890 |
| Stolen Bases | 145 | Leads: 232 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .269 |
| On-Base % | .355 | Leads: .366 |
| Slugging % | .358 | Leads: .377 |
| OPS | .714 | Leads: .743 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pee Wee Reese outpaces Dave Bancroft 10,057 to 4,247 — driven by per-season impact — 629 PIV per season to 250 — rather than by longevity, since Pee Wee Reese played 16 seasons to Dave Bancroft's 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).
Dave Bancroft — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pee Wee Reese — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pee Wee Reese leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Dave Bancroft owns batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pee Wee Reese. PIV agrees: Pee Wee Reese grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dave Bancroft and Pee Wee Reese careers compare
No season is shared: Dave Bancroft played 1915–1930, Pee Wee Reese 1940–1958. With 1,913 games against 2,166 across 17 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Dave Bancroft are batting average (.279 to .269). At the plate, Dave Bancroft walked more often than struck out (827 walks, 487 strikeouts), and Pee Wee Reese walked more often than struck out (1,210 walks, 890 strikeouts). Pee Wee Reese is the more power-leaning hitter, with 126 of 2,170 hits leaving the park. Pee Wee Reese was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Pee Wee Reese holds the edge, .377 to .358.
Dave Bancroft vs Pee Wee Reese: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dave Bancroft or Pee Wee Reese?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pee Wee Reese leads Dave Bancroft in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Dave Bancroft or Pee Wee Reese hit more home runs?
- Pee Wee Reese, with 126 to Dave Bancroft's 32.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Pee Wee Reese, with .743 to Dave Bancroft's .714.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Bancroft, with .279 to Pee Wee Reese's .269.
- Who had more hits?
- Pee Wee Reese, with 2,170 to Dave Bancroft's 2,004.