Ernie Banks vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 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 Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Neither — both are at 512.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ernie Banks, with .274 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Eddie Mathews's 1,453.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 2,391 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 8,537 |
| Runs | 1,305 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 2,315 |
| Doubles | Leads: 407 | 354 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 512 | 512 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,453 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .271 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Ernie Banks 45,555 to 30,636 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 1,612 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 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
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Ernie Banks owns hits, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Mathews. PIV agrees: Eddie Mathews 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 Eddie Mathews careers compare
The careers of Ernie Banks (1953–1971) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) overlapped from 1953 to 1968, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,528 games for Ernie Banks and 2,391 for Eddie Mathews across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), and Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Eddie Mathews's slugging percentage of .509 tops Ernie Banks's .500. Eddie Mathews owns the better peak by OPS: .980 OPS in 1958 for Ernie Banks against 1.033 OPS in 1953 for Eddie Mathews.
Ernie Banks vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Banks leads Eddie Mathews in 7 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Neither — both are at 512.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ernie Banks, with .274 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.