Roger Bresnahan vs Rick Ferrell: Career Stats Comparison
Rick Ferrell 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). Roger Bresnahan played 1897–1915 as a hitter; Rick Ferrell played 1929–1947 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
Roger Bresnahan (1897–1915) and Rick Ferrell (1929–1947) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roger Bresnahan finished with 1,252 hits and 26 home runs; Rick Ferrell finished with 1,692 hits and 28 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rick Ferrell, with 28 to Roger Bresnahan's 26.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roger Bresnahan, with .764 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rick Ferrell, with .281 to Roger Bresnahan's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rick Ferrell, with 1,692 to Roger Bresnahan's 1,252.
- Who drove in more runs? Rick Ferrell, with 734 to Roger Bresnahan's 530.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roger Bresnahan, with 18,191 career PIV to Rick Ferrell's 6,474.
- Who won more championships? Roger Bresnahan, with 1 World Series title to Rick Ferrell's 0.
Roger Bresnahan
Rick Ferrell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roger Bresnahan and Rick Ferrell. 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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roger Bresnahan | Rick Ferrell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,446 | Leads: 1,884 |
| At-Bats | 4,481 | Leads: 6,028 |
| Runs | 682 | Leads: 687 |
| Hits | 1,252 | Leads: 1,692 |
| Doubles | 218 | Leads: 324 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 45 |
| Home Runs | 26 | Leads: 28 |
| RBI | 530 | Leads: 734 |
| Walks | 714 | Leads: 931 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 403 | 277 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 212 | 29 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .281 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .378 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .377 | .363 |
| OPS | Leads: .764 | .741 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Bresnahan outpaces Rick Ferrell 18,191 to 6,474 — driven by per-season impact — 1,011 PIV per season to 308 — rather than by longevity, since Roger Bresnahan played 18 seasons to Rick Ferrell's 21. 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
Rick Ferrell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rick Ferrell leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Roger Bresnahan owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rick Ferrell. Note that PIV actually grades Roger Bresnahan ahead, which means Rick Ferrell's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roger Bresnahan and Rick Ferrell careers compare
Roger Bresnahan (1897–1915) was finished before Rick Ferrell (1929–1947) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 1,446 games against 1,884 across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Roger Bresnahan walked more often than struck out (714 walks, 403 strikeouts), and Rick Ferrell walked more often than struck out (931 walks, 277 strikeouts). Roger Bresnahan was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Roger Bresnahan's slugging percentage of .377 tops Rick Ferrell's .363. Roger Bresnahan owns the better peak by OPS: .936 OPS in 1903 for Roger Bresnahan against .867 OPS in 1936 for Rick Ferrell.
Roger Bresnahan vs Rick Ferrell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Bresnahan or Rick Ferrell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rick Ferrell leads Roger Bresnahan in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roger Bresnahan or Rick Ferrell hit more home runs?
- Rick Ferrell, with 28 to Roger Bresnahan's 26.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roger Bresnahan, with .764 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rick Ferrell, with .281 to Roger Bresnahan's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rick Ferrell, with 1,692 to Roger Bresnahan's 1,252.