Ernie Banks vs Duke Snider: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Duke Snider played 1947–1964 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 Duke Snider (1947–1964) — 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; Duke Snider finished with 2,116 hits and 407 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 Duke Snider's 407.
- Who had the higher OPS? Duke Snider, with .919 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Duke Snider, with .295 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Duke Snider's 2,116.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Duke Snider's 1,333.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Duke Snider, with 39,968 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
- Who won more championships? Duke Snider, with 2 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Duke Snider
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Duke Snider. 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 | Duke Snider |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 2,143 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 7,161 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,305 | 1,259 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 2,116 |
| Doubles | Leads: 407 | 358 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 85 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 407 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,333 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 971 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 1,237 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 99 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .540 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .919 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Duke Snider leads Ernie Banks 39,968 to 30,636 — driven by per-season impact — 2,220 PIV per season to 1,612 — rather than by longevity, since Duke Snider played 18 seasons to Ernie Banks's 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
Duke Snider — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Duke Snider leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Ernie Banks owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Duke Snider. PIV agrees: Duke Snider 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 Duke Snider careers compare
From 1953 through 1964, Ernie Banks and Duke Snider were in the majors together. With 2,528 games against 2,143 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763); Duke Snider struck out more than walked (1,237 to 971). Duke Snider's slugging percentage of .540 tops Ernie Banks's .500. On the peak-season lists, Ernie Banks's best year is 1958 at .980 OPS and Duke Snider's is 1954 at 1.071 OPS; Duke Snider has the stronger single season.
Ernie Banks vs Duke Snider: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Duke Snider?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Banks leads Duke Snider in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Duke Snider hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Duke Snider's 407.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Duke Snider, with .919 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Duke Snider, with .295 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Duke Snider's 2,116.