Roger Bresnahan vs Buck Ewing: Career Stats Comparison
Buck Ewing 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). Roger Bresnahan played 1897–1915 as a hitter; Buck Ewing played 1880–1897 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
Roger Bresnahan (1897–1915) and Buck Ewing (1880–1897) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 1880s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roger Bresnahan finished with 1,252 hits and 26 home runs; Buck Ewing finished with 1,625 hits and 71 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Buck Ewing, with 71 to Roger Bresnahan's 26.
- Who had the higher OPS? Buck Ewing, with .807 to Roger Bresnahan's .764.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buck Ewing, with .303 to Roger Bresnahan's .279.
- Who had more hits? Buck Ewing, with 1,625 to Roger Bresnahan's 1,252.
- Who drove in more runs? Buck Ewing, with 883 to Roger Bresnahan's 530.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roger Bresnahan, with 18,191 career PIV to Buck Ewing's 17,919.
- Who won more championships? Buck Ewing, with 2 World Series titles to Roger Bresnahan's 1.
Roger Bresnahan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roger Bresnahan and Buck Ewing. 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 1890s and the 1880s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roger Bresnahan | Buck Ewing |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,446 | 1,315 |
| At-Bats | 4,481 | Leads: 5,363 |
| Runs | 682 | Leads: 1,129 |
| Hits | 1,252 | Leads: 1,625 |
| Doubles | 218 | Leads: 250 |
| Triples | 71 | Leads: 178 |
| Home Runs | 26 | Leads: 71 |
| RBI | 530 | Leads: 883 |
| Walks | Leads: 714 | 392 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 403 | 294 |
| Stolen Bases | 212 | Leads: 354 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .351 |
| Slugging % | .377 | Leads: .456 |
| OPS | .764 | Leads: .807 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Bresnahan edges Buck Ewing 18,191 to 17,919 — driven by per-season impact — 1,011 PIV per season to 995 — rather than by longevity, since Roger Bresnahan played 18 seasons to Buck Ewing'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).
Roger Bresnahan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Buck Ewing — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Buck Ewing leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Roger Bresnahan owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Buck Ewing. Note that PIV actually grades Roger Bresnahan ahead, which means Buck Ewing's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roger Bresnahan and Buck Ewing careers compare
From 1897 through 1897, Roger Bresnahan and Buck Ewing were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,446 games for Roger Bresnahan and 1,315 for Buck Ewing across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Roger Bresnahan's edges on the table are games (1,446 to 1,315), walks (714 to 392), and on-base percentage (.386 to .351). Roger Bresnahan walked more often than struck out (714 walks, 403 strikeouts); Buck Ewing walked more often than struck out (392 walks, 294 strikeouts). Buck Ewing is the more power-leaning hitter, with 71 of 1,625 hits leaving the park.
Roger Bresnahan vs Buck Ewing: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Bresnahan or Buck Ewing?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Buck Ewing leads Roger Bresnahan in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roger Bresnahan or Buck Ewing hit more home runs?
- Buck Ewing, with 71 to Roger Bresnahan's 26.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Buck Ewing, with .807 to Roger Bresnahan's .764.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buck Ewing, with .303 to Roger Bresnahan's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Buck Ewing, with 1,625 to Roger Bresnahan's 1,252.