Roger Bresnahan vs Ernie Lombardi: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Lombardi 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; Ernie Lombardi 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
Roger Bresnahan (1897–1915) and Ernie Lombardi (1931–1947) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roger Bresnahan finished with 1,252 hits and 26 home runs; Ernie Lombardi finished with 1,792 hits and 190 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Roger Bresnahan's 26.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ernie Lombardi, with .818 to Roger Bresnahan's .764.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ernie Lombardi, with .306 to Roger Bresnahan's .279.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Lombardi, with 1,792 to Roger Bresnahan's 1,252.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Lombardi, with 990 to Roger Bresnahan's 530.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roger Bresnahan, with 18,191 career PIV to Ernie Lombardi's 15,583.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Roger Bresnahan
Ernie Lombardi
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roger Bresnahan and Ernie Lombardi. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roger Bresnahan | Ernie Lombardi |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,446 | Leads: 1,853 |
| At-Bats | 4,481 | Leads: 5,855 |
| Runs | Leads: 682 | 601 |
| Hits | 1,252 | Leads: 1,792 |
| Doubles | 218 | Leads: 277 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 26 | Leads: 190 |
| RBI | 530 | Leads: 990 |
| Walks | Leads: 714 | 430 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 403 | 262 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 212 | 8 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .358 |
| Slugging % | .377 | Leads: .460 |
| OPS | .764 | Leads: .818 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Bresnahan leads Ernie Lombardi 18,191 to 15,583 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,011 PIV per season to 917, across 18 seasons to 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).
Roger Bresnahan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ernie Lombardi — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Lombardi leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Roger Bresnahan owns runs, stolen bases, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ernie Lombardi. Note that PIV actually grades Roger Bresnahan ahead, which means Ernie Lombardi's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roger Bresnahan and Ernie Lombardi careers compare
Roger Bresnahan (1897–1915) was finished before Ernie Lombardi (1931–1947) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 1,446 games against 1,853 across 18 and 17 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 Ernie Lombardi walked more often than struck out (430 walks, 262 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ernie Lombardi's hits: 26 of 1,252 for Roger Bresnahan, 190 of 1,792 for Ernie Lombardi. On the bases, Roger Bresnahan stole more often per game played (212 steals in 1,446 games for Roger Bresnahan, 8 in 1,853 for Ernie Lombardi).
Roger Bresnahan vs Ernie Lombardi: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Bresnahan or Ernie Lombardi?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Lombardi leads Roger Bresnahan in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roger Bresnahan or Ernie Lombardi hit more home runs?
- Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Roger Bresnahan's 26.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ernie Lombardi, with .818 to Roger Bresnahan's .764.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ernie Lombardi, with .306 to Roger Bresnahan's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Lombardi, with 1,792 to Roger Bresnahan's 1,252.