Lou Boudreau vs Pee Wee Reese: Career Stats Comparison
Pee Wee Reese 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; Pee Wee Reese played 1940–1958 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 Pee Wee Reese (1940–1958) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Boudreau finished with 1,779 hits and 68 home runs; Pee Wee Reese finished with 2,170 hits and 126 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Pee Wee Reese, with 126 to Lou Boudreau's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Boudreau, with .795 to Pee Wee Reese's .743.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Boudreau, with .295 to Pee Wee Reese's .269.
- Who had more hits? Pee Wee Reese, with 2,170 to Lou Boudreau's 1,779.
- Who drove in more runs? Pee Wee Reese, with 885 to Lou Boudreau's 789.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Boudreau, with 17,260 career PIV to Pee Wee Reese's 10,057.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Lou Boudreau
Pee Wee Reese
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Boudreau and Pee Wee Reese. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lou Boudreau | Pee Wee Reese |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,646 | Leads: 2,166 |
| At-Bats | 6,029 | Leads: 8,058 |
| Runs | 861 | Leads: 1,338 |
| Hits | 1,779 | Leads: 2,170 |
| Doubles | Leads: 385 | 330 |
| Triples | 66 | Leads: 80 |
| Home Runs | 68 | Leads: 126 |
| RBI | 789 | Leads: 885 |
| Walks | 796 | Leads: 1,210 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 309 | 890 |
| Stolen Bases | 51 | Leads: 232 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .269 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .380 | .366 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .415 | .377 |
| OPS | Leads: .795 | .743 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Boudreau outpaces Pee Wee Reese 17,260 to 10,057 — driven by per-season impact — 1,151 PIV per season to 629 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Boudreau played 15 seasons to Pee Wee Reese's 16. 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
Pee Wee Reese — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pee Wee Reese leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Lou Boudreau owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pee Wee Reese. Note that PIV actually grades Lou Boudreau ahead, which means Pee Wee Reese's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lou Boudreau and Pee Wee Reese careers compare
Lou Boudreau and Pee Wee Reese were active at the same time between 1940 and 1952. With 1,646 games against 2,166 across 15 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Lou Boudreau walked more often than struck out (796 walks, 309 strikeouts), and Pee Wee Reese walked more often than struck out (1,210 walks, 890 strikeouts). Pee Wee Reese is the more power-leaning hitter, with 126 of 2,170 hits leaving the park. Pee Wee Reese was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Lou Boudreau's on-base percentage of .380 tops Pee Wee Reese's .366.
Lou Boudreau vs Pee Wee Reese: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Boudreau or Pee Wee Reese?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pee Wee Reese leads Lou Boudreau in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Boudreau or Pee Wee Reese hit more home runs?
- Pee Wee Reese, with 126 to Lou Boudreau's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Boudreau, with .795 to Pee Wee Reese's .743.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Boudreau, with .295 to Pee Wee Reese's .269.
- Who had more hits?
- Pee Wee Reese, with 2,170 to Lou Boudreau's 1,779.