Ernie Banks vs George Brett: Career Stats Comparison
George Brett 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). Ernie Banks played 1953–1971 as a hitter; George Brett played 1973–1993 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
Ernie Banks (1953–1971) and George Brett (1973–1993) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; George Brett finished with 3,154 hits and 317 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ernie Banks, with 512 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS? George Brett, with .857 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Brett, with .305 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? George Brett, with 3,154 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to George Brett's 1,596.
- Who has the higher career PIV? George Brett, with 41,511 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
- Who won more championships? George Brett, with 1 World Series title to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
George Brett
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and George Brett. 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 1950s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | George Brett |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,528 | Leads: 2,707 |
| At-Bats | 9,421 | Leads: 10,349 |
| Runs | 1,305 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Hits | 2,583 | Leads: 3,154 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 665 |
| Triples | 90 | Leads: 137 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 317 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,596 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 1,096 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 908 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 201 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .305 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .369 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .487 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .857 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), George Brett outpaces Ernie Banks 41,511 to 30,636 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,977 PIV per season to 1,612, across 21 seasons to 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).
Ernie Banks — top 3 seasons by OPS
George Brett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, George Brett leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Ernie Banks owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to George Brett. PIV agrees: George Brett grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ernie Banks and George Brett careers compare
No season is shared: Ernie Banks played 1953–1971, George Brett 1973–1993. With 2,528 games against 2,707 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ernie Banks's edges on the table are home runs (512 to 317), RBI (1,636 to 1,596), and slugging percentage (.500 to .487). At the plate, Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), while George Brett walked more often than struck out (1,096 walks, 908 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ernie Banks's hits: 512 of 2,583 for Ernie Banks, 317 of 3,154 for George Brett. George Brett was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Ernie Banks vs George Brett: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or George Brett?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, George Brett leads Ernie Banks in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or George Brett hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- George Brett, with .857 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Brett, with .305 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- George Brett, with 3,154 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.