Ken Boyer vs Lou Brock: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Brock 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). Ken Boyer played 1955–1969 as a hitter; Lou Brock played 1961–1979 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
Ken Boyer (1955–1969) and Lou Brock (1961–1979) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Boyer finished with 2,143 hits and 282 home runs; Lou Brock finished with 3,023 hits and 149 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Boyer, with 282 to Lou Brock's 149.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Boyer, with .810 to Lou Brock's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Brock, with .293 to Ken Boyer's .287.
- Who had more hits? Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Ken Boyer's 2,143.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Boyer, with 1,141 to Lou Brock's 900.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Boyer, with 22,279 career PIV to Lou Brock's 18,115.
- Who won more championships? Lou Brock, with 2 World Series titles to Ken Boyer's 1.
Ken Boyer
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Boyer and Lou Brock. 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 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Boyer | Lou Brock |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,034 | Leads: 2,616 |
| At-Bats | 7,455 | Leads: 10,332 |
| Runs | 1,104 | Leads: 1,610 |
| Hits | 2,143 | Leads: 3,023 |
| Doubles | 318 | Leads: 486 |
| Triples | 68 | Leads: 141 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 282 | 149 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,141 | 900 |
| Walks | 713 | Leads: 761 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,017 | 1,730 |
| Stolen Bases | 105 | Leads: 938 |
| Batting Avg | .287 | Leads: .293 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .349 | .343 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .462 | .410 |
| OPS | Leads: .810 | .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Boyer leads Lou Brock 22,279 to 18,115 — driven by per-season impact — 1,311 PIV per season to 906 — rather than by longevity, since Ken Boyer played 17 seasons to Lou Brock's 20. 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).
Ken Boyer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lou Brock — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Boyer leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Lou Brock owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Boyer. PIV agrees: Ken Boyer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ken Boyer and Lou Brock careers compare
From 1961 through 1969, Ken Boyer and Lou Brock were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,034 games for Ken Boyer and 2,616 for Lou Brock across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ken Boyer struck out more than walked (1,017 to 713); Lou Brock struck out more than walked (1,730 to 761). Ken Boyer is the more power-leaning hitter, with 282 of 2,143 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Lou Brock stole more often per game played (105 steals in 2,034 games for Ken Boyer, 938 in 2,616 for Lou Brock).
Ken Boyer vs Lou Brock: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Boyer or Lou Brock?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Brock leads Ken Boyer in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Boyer or Lou Brock hit more home runs?
- Ken Boyer, with 282 to Lou Brock's 149.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Boyer, with .810 to Lou Brock's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Brock, with .293 to Ken Boyer's .287.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Ken Boyer's 2,143.