Jake Beckley vs Jim Bottomley: Career Stats Comparison
Jake Beckley 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). Jake Beckley played 1888–1907 as a hitter; Jim Bottomley played 1922–1937 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
Jake Beckley (1888–1907) and Jim Bottomley (1922–1937) — they broke in during the 1880s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jake Beckley finished with 2,938 hits and 87 home runs; Jim Bottomley finished with 2,313 hits and 219 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Bottomley, with 219 to Jake Beckley's 87.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Bottomley, with .869 to Jake Beckley's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Bottomley, with .310 to Jake Beckley's .308.
- Who had more hits? Jake Beckley, with 2,938 to Jim Bottomley's 2,313.
- Who drove in more runs? Jake Beckley, with 1,581 to Jim Bottomley's 1,422.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jake Beckley, with 26,506 career PIV to Jim Bottomley's 25,340.
- Who won more championships? Jim Bottomley, with 2 World Series titles to Jake Beckley's 0.
Jake Beckley
Jim Bottomley
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jake Beckley and Jim Bottomley. 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 1880s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jake Beckley | Jim Bottomley |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,392 | 1,991 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,551 | 7,471 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,603 | 1,177 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,938 | 2,313 |
| Doubles | Leads: 473 | 465 |
| Triples | Leads: 244 | 151 |
| Home Runs | 87 | Leads: 219 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,581 | 1,422 |
| Walks | 616 | Leads: 664 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 526 | 591 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 315 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .308 | Leads: .310 |
| On-Base % | .361 | Leads: .369 |
| Slugging % | .436 | Leads: .500 |
| OPS | .797 | Leads: .869 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jake Beckley edges Jim Bottomley 26,506 to 25,340 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jake Beckley played 22 seasons to Jim Bottomley's 16, while Jim Bottomley carries the higher per-season figure (1,584 to 1,205). 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).
Jake Beckley — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Bottomley — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jake Beckley leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Jim Bottomley owns home runs, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jake Beckley. PIV agrees: Jake Beckley grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jake Beckley and Jim Bottomley careers compare
Jake Beckley (1888–1907) was finished before Jim Bottomley (1922–1937) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,392 games against 1,991 across 22 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Jake Beckley walked more often than struck out (616 walks, 526 strikeouts), and Jim Bottomley walked more often than struck out (664 walks, 591 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Jim Bottomley's hits: 87 of 2,938 for Jake Beckley, 219 of 2,313 for Jim Bottomley. Jake Beckley was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Jim Bottomley's slugging percentage of .500 tops Jake Beckley's .436.
Jake Beckley vs Jim Bottomley: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jake Beckley or Jim Bottomley?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jake Beckley leads Jim Bottomley in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jake Beckley or Jim Bottomley hit more home runs?
- Jim Bottomley, with 219 to Jake Beckley's 87.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Bottomley, with .869 to Jake Beckley's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Bottomley, with .310 to Jake Beckley's .308.
- Who had more hits?
- Jake Beckley, with 2,938 to Jim Bottomley's 2,313.