Jim Bottomley vs Hank Greenberg: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Greenberg has the better career line of the two, leading 6 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; Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 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 Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) — they debuted in the 1920s and the 1930s respectively and share 8 seasons. Jim Bottomley finished with 2,313 hits and 219 home runs; Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Hank Greenberg, in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Jim Bottomley's 219.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Jim Bottomley's .869.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Jim Bottomley's .310.
- Who had more hits? Jim Bottomley, with 2,313 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Bottomley, with 1,422 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Greenberg, with 43,523 career PIV to Jim Bottomley's 25,340.
Jim Bottomley
Hank Greenberg
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Bottomley and Hank Greenberg. 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 | Hank Greenberg |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,991 | 1,394 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,471 | 5,193 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,177 | 1,051 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,313 | 1,628 |
| Doubles | Leads: 465 | 379 |
| Triples | Leads: 151 | 71 |
| Home Runs | 219 | Leads: 331 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,422 | 1,276 |
| Walks | 664 | Leads: 852 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 591 | 844 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .310 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .369 | Leads: .412 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .605 |
| OPS | .869 | Leads: 1.017 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Greenberg outpaces Jim Bottomley 43,523 to 25,340 — driven by per-season impact — 3,348 PIV per season to 1,584 — rather than by longevity, since Hank Greenberg played 13 seasons to Jim Bottomley's 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
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Hank Greenberg leads 6 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: home runs, walks, batting average, on-base percentage, and others. Jim Bottomley leads 5: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. 1 is tied. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Greenberg. PIV agrees: Hank Greenberg 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 Hank Greenberg careers compare
From 1930 through 1937, Jim Bottomley and Hank Greenberg were in the majors together. With 1,991 games against 1,394 across 16 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Jim Bottomley walked more often than struck out (664 walks, 591 strikeouts), and Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Hank Greenberg's hits: 219 of 2,313 for Jim Bottomley, 331 of 1,628 for Hank Greenberg. In slugging percentage, Hank Greenberg holds the edge, .605 to .500.
Jim Bottomley vs Hank Greenberg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bottomley or Hank Greenberg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Greenberg leads Jim Bottomley in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Jim Bottomley or Hank Greenberg hit more home runs?
- Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Jim Bottomley's 219.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Jim Bottomley's .869.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Jim Bottomley's .310.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Bottomley, with 2,313 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.