Lou Boudreau vs Bill Dickey: Career Stats Comparison
Bill Dickey has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lou Boudreau played 1938–1952 as a hitter; Bill Dickey played 1928–1946 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
Lou Boudreau (1938–1952) and Bill Dickey (1928–1946) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Boudreau finished with 1,779 hits and 68 home runs; Bill Dickey finished with 1,969 hits and 202 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Bill Dickey, with 202 to Lou Boudreau's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bill Dickey, with .868 to Lou Boudreau's .795.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bill Dickey, with .313 to Lou Boudreau's .295.
- Who had more hits? Bill Dickey, with 1,969 to Lou Boudreau's 1,779.
- Who drove in more runs? Bill Dickey, with 1,209 to Lou Boudreau's 789.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bill Dickey, with 23,944 career PIV to Lou Boudreau's 17,260.
- Who won more championships? Bill Dickey, with 8 World Series titles to Lou Boudreau's 1.
Lou Boudreau
Bill Dickey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Boudreau and Bill Dickey. 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 1930s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lou Boudreau | Bill Dickey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,646 | Leads: 1,789 |
| At-Bats | 6,029 | Leads: 6,300 |
| Runs | 861 | Leads: 930 |
| Hits | 1,779 | Leads: 1,969 |
| Doubles | Leads: 385 | 343 |
| Triples | 66 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 68 | Leads: 202 |
| RBI | 789 | Leads: 1,209 |
| Walks | Leads: 796 | 678 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 309 | 289 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 51 | 37 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .380 | Leads: .382 |
| Slugging % | .415 | Leads: .486 |
| OPS | .795 | Leads: .868 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bill Dickey outpaces Lou Boudreau 23,944 to 17,260 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,408 PIV per season to 1,151, across 17 seasons to 15. 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).
Lou Boudreau — top 3 seasons by OPS
Bill Dickey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bill Dickey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Lou Boudreau owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bill Dickey. PIV agrees: Bill Dickey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lou Boudreau and Bill Dickey careers compare
Lou Boudreau and Bill Dickey were active at the same time between 1938 and 1946. With 1,646 games against 1,789 across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Lou Boudreau are doubles (385 to 343), walks (796 to 678), and stolen bases (51 to 37). Lou Boudreau walked more often than struck out (796 walks, 309 strikeouts); Bill Dickey walked more often than struck out (678 walks, 289 strikeouts). Bill Dickey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 202 of 1,969 hits leaving the park.
Lou Boudreau vs Bill Dickey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Boudreau or Bill Dickey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bill Dickey leads Lou Boudreau in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Boudreau or Bill Dickey hit more home runs?
- Bill Dickey, with 202 to Lou Boudreau's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bill Dickey, with .868 to Lou Boudreau's .795.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bill Dickey, with .313 to Lou Boudreau's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Bill Dickey, with 1,969 to Lou Boudreau's 1,779.