Jim Bottomley vs Lou Gehrig: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jim Bottomley played 1922–1937 as a hitter; Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 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
Jim Bottomley (1922–1937) and Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) — both debuted in the 1920s. Jim Bottomley finished with 2,313 hits and 219 home runs; Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Lou Gehrig, in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Jim Bottomley's 219.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Jim Bottomley's .869.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Jim Bottomley's .310.
- Who had more hits? Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Jim Bottomley's 2,313.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Jim Bottomley's 1,422.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Jim Bottomley's 25,340.
Jim Bottomley
Lou Gehrig
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Bottomley and Lou Gehrig. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Bottomley | Lou Gehrig |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,991 | 2,164 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,471 | 8,001 |
| Runs | 1,177 | Leads: 1,888 |
| Hits | 2,313 | Leads: 2,721 |
| Doubles | 465 | Leads: 534 |
| Triples | 151 | Leads: 163 |
| Home Runs | 219 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,422 | Leads: 1,995 |
| Walks | 664 | Leads: 1,508 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 591 | 790 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 102 |
| Batting Avg | .310 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | .369 | Leads: .447 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .632 |
| OPS | .869 | Leads: 1.080 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Jim Bottomley 81,072 to 25,340 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,769 PIV per season to 1,584, across 17 seasons to 16. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Jim Bottomley — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Lou Gehrig leads 12 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Jim Bottomley leads 0: no scored category. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Gehrig. PIV agrees: Lou Gehrig grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Bottomley and Lou Gehrig careers compare
The careers of Jim Bottomley (1922–1937) and Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) overlapped from 1923 to 1937, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,991 games against 2,164 across 16 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Lou Gehrig. At the plate, Jim Bottomley walked more often than struck out (664 walks, 591 strikeouts), and Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts). Lou Gehrig is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,721 hits leaving the park.
Jim Bottomley vs Lou Gehrig: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bottomley or Lou Gehrig?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Jim Bottomley in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Jim Bottomley or Lou Gehrig hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Jim Bottomley's 219.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Jim Bottomley's .869.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Jim Bottomley's .310.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Jim Bottomley's 2,313.