Ernie Banks vs Enos Slaughter: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks and Enos Slaughter 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; Enos Slaughter played 1938–1959 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 Enos Slaughter (1938–1959) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; Enos Slaughter finished with 2,383 hits and 169 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 Enos Slaughter's 169.
- Who had the higher OPS? Enos Slaughter, with .834 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Enos Slaughter, with .300 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Enos Slaughter's 2,383.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Enos Slaughter's 1,304.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ernie Banks, with 30,636 career PIV to Enos Slaughter's 27,340.
- Who won more championships? Enos Slaughter, with 4 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Enos Slaughter
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Enos Slaughter. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Enos Slaughter |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 2,380 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 7,946 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,305 | 1,247 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 2,383 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 413 |
| Triples | 90 | Leads: 148 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 169 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,304 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 1,018 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 538 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 71 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .300 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .382 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .453 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .834 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ernie Banks leads Enos Slaughter 30,636 to 27,340 — driven by per-season impact — 1,612 PIV per season to 1,243 — rather than by longevity, since Ernie Banks played 19 seasons to Enos Slaughter's 22. 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
Enos Slaughter — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Banks leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Enos Slaughter 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 Enos Slaughter careers compare
Ernie Banks and Enos Slaughter were active at the same time between 1953 and 1959. The two careers are close in length, 2,528 games for Ernie Banks and 2,380 for Enos Slaughter 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 Enos Slaughter walked more often than struck out (1,018 walks, 538 strikeouts). Ernie Banks is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,583 hits leaving the park. On the peak-season lists, Ernie Banks's best year is 1958 at .980 OPS and Enos Slaughter's is 1949 at .929 OPS; Ernie Banks has the stronger single season.
Ernie Banks vs Enos Slaughter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Ernie Banks or Enos Slaughter hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Enos Slaughter's 169.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Enos Slaughter, with .834 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Enos Slaughter, with .300 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Enos Slaughter's 2,383.