Ernie Banks vs Jackie Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Jackie Robinson played 1947–1956 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 Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) — 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; Jackie Robinson finished with 1,568 hits and 141 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 Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Jackie Robinson's 764.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ernie Banks, with 30,636 career PIV to Jackie Robinson's 25,382.
- Who won more championships? Jackie Robinson, with 1 World Series title to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Jackie Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Jackie Robinson. 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 | Jackie Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 1,418 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 5,006 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,305 | 974 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 1,568 |
| Doubles | Leads: 407 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 141 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 764 |
| Walks | Leads: 763 | 756 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 291 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 203 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .410 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .477 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .887 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ernie Banks leads Jackie Robinson 30,636 to 25,382 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ernie Banks played 19 seasons to Jackie Robinson's 11, while Jackie Robinson carries the higher per-season figure (2,307 to 1,612). 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
Jackie Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Banks leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jackie Robinson owns stolen bases, batting average, 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 Jackie Robinson careers compare
Ernie Banks and Jackie Robinson were active at the same time between 1953 and 1956. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Ernie Banks appeared in 2,528 games to Jackie Robinson's 1,418. The green cells for Jackie Robinson are stolen bases (203 to 50), batting average (.313 to .274), and on-base percentage (.410 to .330). Plate discipline differs: Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), but Jackie Robinson walked more often than struck out (756 walks, 291 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ernie Banks's hits: 512 of 2,583 for Ernie Banks, 141 of 1,568 for Jackie Robinson.
Ernie Banks vs Jackie Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Jackie Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Banks leads Jackie Robinson in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Jackie Robinson hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.