Ernie Banks vs Lou Brock: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Brock has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Lou Brock played 1961–1979 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 Lou Brock (1961–1979) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; Lou Brock finished with 3,023 hits and 149 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 Lou Brock's 149.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ernie Banks, with .830 to Lou Brock's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Brock, with .293 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Lou Brock's 900.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ernie Banks, with 30,636 career PIV to Lou Brock's 18,115.
- Who won more championships? Lou Brock, with 2 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Lou Brock. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Lou Brock |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,528 | Leads: 2,616 |
| At-Bats | 9,421 | Leads: 10,332 |
| Runs | 1,305 | Leads: 1,610 |
| Hits | 2,583 | Leads: 3,023 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 486 |
| Triples | 90 | Leads: 141 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 149 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 900 |
| Walks | Leads: 763 | 761 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 1,730 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 938 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .293 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .343 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .410 |
| OPS | Leads: .830 | .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ernie Banks outpaces Lou Brock 30,636 to 18,115 — driven by per-season impact — 1,612 PIV per season to 906 — rather than by longevity, since Ernie Banks played 19 seasons to Lou Brock's 20. 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
Lou Brock — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Brock leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Ernie Banks owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Brock. Note that PIV actually grades Ernie Banks ahead, which means Lou Brock's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ernie Banks and Lou Brock careers compare
Ernie Banks and Lou Brock were active at the same time between 1961 and 1971. With 2,528 games against 2,616 across 19 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763); Lou Brock struck out more than walked (1,730 to 761). Home runs make up a larger share of Ernie Banks's hits: 512 of 2,583 for Ernie Banks, 149 of 3,023 for Lou Brock. Lou Brock was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Ernie Banks vs Lou Brock: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Lou Brock?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Brock leads Ernie Banks in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Lou Brock hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Lou Brock's 149.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ernie Banks, with .830 to Lou Brock's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Brock, with .293 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.