Ernie Banks vs Phil Rizzuto: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Phil Rizzuto played 1941–1956 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 Phil Rizzuto (1941–1956) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; Phil Rizzuto finished with 1,588 hits and 38 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 Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ernie Banks, with .830 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ernie Banks, with .274 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Phil Rizzuto's 563.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ernie Banks, with 30,636 career PIV to Phil Rizzuto's 662.
- Who won more championships? Phil Rizzuto, with 8 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Phil Rizzuto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Phil Rizzuto. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Phil Rizzuto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 1,661 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 5,816 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,305 | 877 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 1,588 |
| Doubles | Leads: 407 | 239 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 62 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 38 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 563 |
| Walks | Leads: 763 | 651 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 398 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 149 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .273 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .351 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .355 |
| OPS | Leads: .830 | .706 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ernie Banks outpaces Phil Rizzuto 30,636 to 662 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,612 PIV per season to 51, across 19 seasons to 13. 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
Phil Rizzuto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Banks leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Phil Rizzuto 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 Phil Rizzuto careers compare
Ernie Banks and Phil Rizzuto were active at the same time between 1953 and 1956. The table compares 2,528 games of Ernie Banks with 1,661 of Phil Rizzuto across 19 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Phil Rizzuto comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (149 to 50) and on-base percentage (.351 to .330). Plate discipline differs: Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), but Phil Rizzuto walked more often than struck out (651 walks, 398 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ernie Banks's hits: 512 of 2,583 for Ernie Banks, 38 of 1,588 for Phil Rizzuto.
Ernie Banks vs Phil Rizzuto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Phil Rizzuto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Banks leads Phil Rizzuto in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Phil Rizzuto hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ernie Banks, with .830 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ernie Banks, with .274 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.