Ernie Banks vs Bobby Grich: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks 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; Bobby Grich played 1970–1986 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 Bobby Grich (1970–1986) — 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; Bobby Grich finished with 1,833 hits and 224 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 Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ernie Banks, with .830 to Bobby Grich's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ernie Banks, with .274 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Bobby Grich's 864.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ernie Banks, with 30,636 career PIV to Bobby Grich's 20,680.
- Who won more championships? Bobby Grich, with 1 World Series title to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Bobby Grich
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Bobby Grich. 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 | Bobby Grich |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 2,008 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 6,890 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,305 | 1,033 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 1,833 |
| Doubles | Leads: 407 | 320 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 224 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 864 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 1,087 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 1,278 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 104 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .266 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .424 |
| OPS | Leads: .830 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ernie Banks outpaces Bobby Grich 30,636 to 20,680 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,612 PIV per season to 1,216, across 19 seasons to 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).
Ernie Banks — top 3 seasons by OPS
Bobby Grich — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Banks leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bobby Grich owns stolen bases and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ernie Banks. PIV agrees: Ernie Banks 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 Bobby Grich careers compare
Ernie Banks and Bobby Grich were active at the same time between 1970 and 1971. With 2,528 games against 2,008 across 19 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Bobby Grich's edges on the table are walks (1,087 to 763), stolen bases (104 to 50), and on-base percentage (.371 to .330). At the plate, Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), and Bobby Grich struck out more than walked (1,278 to 1,087). Ernie Banks is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,583 hits leaving the park. Bobby Grich was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Ernie Banks vs Bobby Grich: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Bobby Grich?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Banks leads Bobby Grich in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Bobby Grich hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ernie Banks, with .830 to Bobby Grich's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ernie Banks, with .274 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.