Lou Boudreau vs Billy Herman: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Herman has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Billy Herman played 1931–1947 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
Lou Boudreau (1938–1952) and Billy Herman (1931–1947) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Lou Boudreau finished with 1,779 hits and 68 home runs; Billy Herman finished with 2,345 hits and 47 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Boudreau, with 68 to Billy Herman's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Boudreau, with .795 to Billy Herman's .774.
- Who had the higher batting average? Billy Herman, with .304 to Lou Boudreau's .295.
- Who had more hits? Billy Herman, with 2,345 to Lou Boudreau's 1,779.
- Who drove in more runs? Billy Herman, with 839 to Lou Boudreau's 789.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Boudreau, with 17,260 career PIV to Billy Herman's 12,844.
- Who won more championships? Lou Boudreau, with 1 World Series title to Billy Herman's 0.
Lou Boudreau
Billy Herman
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Boudreau and Billy Herman. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lou Boudreau | Billy Herman |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,646 | Leads: 1,922 |
| At-Bats | 6,029 | Leads: 7,707 |
| Runs | 861 | Leads: 1,163 |
| Hits | 1,779 | Leads: 2,345 |
| Doubles | 385 | Leads: 486 |
| Triples | 66 | Leads: 82 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 68 | 47 |
| RBI | 789 | Leads: 839 |
| Walks | Leads: 796 | 737 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 309 | 428 |
| Stolen Bases | 51 | Leads: 67 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .304 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .380 | .367 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .415 | .407 |
| OPS | Leads: .795 | .774 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Boudreau outpaces Billy Herman 17,260 to 12,844 — driven by per-season impact — 1,151 PIV per season to 756 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Boudreau played 15 seasons to Billy Herman's 17. 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
Billy Herman — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Herman leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Lou Boudreau owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Herman. Note that PIV actually grades Lou Boudreau ahead, which means Billy Herman's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lou Boudreau and Billy Herman careers compare
Lou Boudreau and Billy Herman were active at the same time between 1938 and 1947. The two careers are close in length, 1,646 games for Lou Boudreau and 1,922 for Billy Herman across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Lou Boudreau walked more often than struck out (796 walks, 309 strikeouts); Billy Herman walked more often than struck out (737 walks, 428 strikeouts). Lou Boudreau is the more power-leaning hitter, with 68 of 1,779 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Lou Boudreau holds the edge, .415 to .407.
Lou Boudreau vs Billy Herman: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Boudreau or Billy Herman?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Herman leads Lou Boudreau in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Boudreau or Billy Herman hit more home runs?
- Lou Boudreau, with 68 to Billy Herman's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Boudreau, with .795 to Billy Herman's .774.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Billy Herman, with .304 to Lou Boudreau's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Herman, with 2,345 to Lou Boudreau's 1,779.