Ernie Banks vs Gil Hodges: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ernie Banks played 1953–1971 as a hitter; Gil Hodges played 1943–1963 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 Gil Hodges (1943–1963) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1940s respectively and share 11 seasons. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; Gil Hodges finished with 1,921 hits and 370 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Ernie Banks, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Ernie Banks, with 512 to Gil Hodges's 370.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gil Hodges, with .846 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ernie Banks, with .274 to Gil Hodges's .273.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Gil Hodges's 1,921.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Gil Hodges's 1,274.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ernie Banks, with 30,636 career PIV to Gil Hodges's 24,928.
Ernie Banks
Gil Hodges
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Gil Hodges. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Gil Hodges |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,528 | 2,071 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,421 | 7,030 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,305 | 1,105 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 1,921 |
| Doubles | Leads: 407 | 295 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 48 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 370 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,274 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 943 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 1,137 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 63 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .273 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .359 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .487 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .846 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ernie Banks leads Gil Hodges 30,636 to 24,928 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,612 PIV per season to 1,385, across 19 seasons to 18. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Gil Hodges — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Ernie Banks leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Gil Hodges leads 4: walks, stolen bases, on-base percentage, and OPS. 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 Gil Hodges careers compare
From 1953 through 1963, Ernie Banks and Gil Hodges were in the majors together. With 2,528 games against 2,071 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Gil Hodges comes out ahead, it is in walks (943 to 763), stolen bases (63 to 50), and on-base percentage (.359 to .330). Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763); Gil Hodges struck out more than walked (1,137 to 943). On the peak-season lists, Ernie Banks's best year is 1958 at .980 OPS and Gil Hodges's is 1954 at .952 OPS; Ernie Banks has the stronger single season.
Ernie Banks vs Gil Hodges: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Gil Hodges?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Banks leads Gil Hodges in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Gil Hodges hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Gil Hodges's 370.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gil Hodges, with .846 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ernie Banks, with .274 to Gil Hodges's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Gil Hodges's 1,921.