Ernie Banks vs Honus Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Honus Wagner 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; Honus Wagner played 1897–1917 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 Honus Wagner (1897–1917) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1890s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; Honus Wagner finished with 3,420 hits and 101 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 Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS? Honus Wagner, with .858 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Honus Wagner, with .328 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.
- Who drove in more runs? Honus Wagner, with 1,733 to Ernie Banks's 1,636.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Honus Wagner, with 59,177 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
- Who won more championships? Honus Wagner, with 1 World Series title to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Honus Wagner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Honus Wagner. 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 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Honus Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,528 | Leads: 2,794 |
| At-Bats | 9,421 | Leads: 10,439 |
| Runs | 1,305 | Leads: 1,739 |
| Hits | 2,583 | Leads: 3,420 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 643 |
| Triples | 90 | Leads: 252 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 101 |
| RBI | 1,636 | Leads: 1,733 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 963 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 735 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 723 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .328 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .391 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .467 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .858 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Honus Wagner outpaces Ernie Banks 59,177 to 30,636 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,818 PIV per season to 1,612, across 21 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
Honus Wagner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Honus Wagner leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ernie Banks owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Honus Wagner. PIV agrees: Honus Wagner 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 Honus Wagner careers compare
No season is shared: Honus Wagner played 1897–1917, Ernie Banks 1953–1971. The two careers are close in length, 2,528 games for Ernie Banks and 2,794 for Honus Wagner across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Ernie Banks comes out ahead, it is in home runs (512 to 101) and slugging percentage (.500 to .467). Plate discipline differs: Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), but Honus Wagner walked more often than struck out (963 walks, 735 strikeouts). Ernie Banks is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,583 hits leaving the park. Honus Wagner was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Ernie Banks vs Honus Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Honus Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Honus Wagner leads Ernie Banks in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Honus Wagner hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Honus Wagner, with .858 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Honus Wagner, with .328 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.