Jim Bottomley vs George Kelly: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bottomley has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jim Bottomley played 1922–1937 as a hitter; George Kelly played 1915–1932 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 George Kelly (1915–1932) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1910s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jim Bottomley finished with 2,313 hits and 219 home runs; George Kelly finished with 1,778 hits and 148 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 George Kelly's 148.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Bottomley, with .869 to George Kelly's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Bottomley, with .310 to George Kelly's .297.
- Who had more hits? Jim Bottomley, with 2,313 to George Kelly's 1,778.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Bottomley, with 1,422 to George Kelly's 1,020.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Bottomley, with 25,340 career PIV to George Kelly's 9,050.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Jim Bottomley
George Kelly
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Bottomley and George Kelly. 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 1920s and the 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Bottomley | George Kelly |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,991 | 1,622 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,471 | 5,993 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,177 | 819 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,313 | 1,778 |
| Doubles | Leads: 465 | 337 |
| Triples | Leads: 151 | 76 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 219 | 148 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,422 | 1,020 |
| Walks | Leads: 664 | 386 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 591 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 65 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .310 | .297 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .369 | .342 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .452 |
| OPS | Leads: .869 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Bottomley outpaces George Kelly 25,340 to 9,050 — driven by per-season impact — 1,584 PIV per season to 503 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Bottomley played 16 seasons to George Kelly's 18. 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).
Jim Bottomley — top 3 seasons by OPS
George Kelly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Bottomley leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while George Kelly owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Bottomley. PIV agrees: Jim Bottomley 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 George Kelly careers compare
From 1922 through 1932, Jim Bottomley and George Kelly were in the majors together. With 1,991 games against 1,622 across 16 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for George Kelly are stolen bases (65 to 58). At the plate, Jim Bottomley walked more often than struck out (664 walks, 591 strikeouts), while George Kelly struck out more than walked (694 to 386). Best seasons: 1928 for Jim Bottomley (1.030 OPS, 31 HR, 136 RBI, .325 avg) and 1924 for George Kelly (.902 OPS, 21 HR, 136 RBI, .324 avg).
Jim Bottomley vs George Kelly: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bottomley or George Kelly?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Bottomley leads George Kelly in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jim Bottomley or George Kelly hit more home runs?
- Jim Bottomley, with 219 to George Kelly's 148.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Bottomley, with .869 to George Kelly's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Bottomley, with .310 to George Kelly's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Bottomley, with 2,313 to George Kelly's 1,778.