Ernie Banks vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose 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; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — 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; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 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 Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ernie Banks, with .830 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Pete Rose. 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 | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,528 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 9,421 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,305 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,583 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 90 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 160 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .830 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose leads Ernie Banks 40,772 to 30,636 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 1,612, across 25 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
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Ernie Banks owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose 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 Pete Rose careers compare
From 1963 through 1971, Ernie Banks and Pete Rose were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,528 games for Ernie Banks and 3,562 for Pete Rose across 19 and 25 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ernie Banks's edges on the table are home runs (512 to 160), RBI (1,636 to 1,314), and slugging percentage (.500 to .409). Plate discipline differs: Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), but Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Ernie Banks is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,583 hits leaving the park.
Ernie Banks vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Ernie Banks in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ernie Banks, with .830 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.