Ernie Banks vs Joe Morgan: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks and Joe Morgan are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ernie Banks played 1953–1971 as a hitter; Joe Morgan played 1963–1984 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 Joe Morgan (1963–1984) — 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; Joe Morgan finished with 2,517 hits and 268 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 Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ernie Banks, with .830 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ernie Banks, with .274 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Joe Morgan's 2,517.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Joe Morgan's 1,133.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Morgan, with 39,255 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
- Who won more championships? Joe Morgan, with 2 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Joe Morgan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Joe Morgan. 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 | Joe Morgan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,528 | Leads: 2,649 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 9,277 |
| Runs | 1,305 | Leads: 1,650 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 2,517 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 449 |
| Triples | 90 | Leads: 96 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 268 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,133 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 1,865 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 1,015 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 689 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .271 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .392 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .427 |
| OPS | Leads: .830 | .819 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Morgan leads Ernie Banks 39,255 to 30,636 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,784 PIV per season to 1,612, across 22 seasons to 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
Joe Morgan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Banks leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Joe Morgan owns runs, stolen bases, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ernie Banks. Note that PIV actually grades Joe Morgan ahead, which means Ernie Banks's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ernie Banks and Joe Morgan careers compare
From 1963 through 1971, Ernie Banks and Joe Morgan were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,528 games for Ernie Banks and 2,649 for Joe Morgan across 19 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), but Joe Morgan walked more often than struck out (1,865 walks, 1,015 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ernie Banks's hits: 512 of 2,583 for Ernie Banks, 268 of 2,517 for Joe Morgan. Joe Morgan was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Ernie Banks vs Joe Morgan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Ernie Banks or Joe Morgan hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ernie Banks, with .830 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ernie Banks, with .274 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Joe Morgan's 2,517.