Ernie Banks vs Lou Gehrig: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig 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; Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 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 Gehrig (1923–1939) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 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 Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Ernie Banks's 1,636.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Lou Gehrig
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Lou Gehrig. 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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Lou Gehrig |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 2,164 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 8,001 |
| Runs | 1,305 | Leads: 1,888 |
| Hits | 2,583 | Leads: 2,721 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 534 |
| Triples | 90 | Leads: 163 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 493 |
| RBI | 1,636 | Leads: 1,995 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 1,508 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 790 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 102 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .447 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .632 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: 1.080 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Ernie Banks 81,072 to 30,636 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 1,612 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Ernie Banks'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).
Ernie Banks — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ernie Banks owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Gehrig. PIV agrees: Lou Gehrig 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 Lou Gehrig careers compare
Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) was finished before Ernie Banks (1953–1971) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 2,528 games for Ernie Banks and 2,164 for Lou Gehrig across 19 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ernie Banks's edges on the table are games (2,528 to 2,164), at-bats (9,421 to 8,001), and home runs (512 to 493). Plate discipline differs: Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), but Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts). Lou Gehrig was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Ernie Banks vs Lou Gehrig: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Lou Gehrig?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Ernie Banks in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Lou Gehrig hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.