Roger Bresnahan vs Thurman Munson: Career Stats Comparison
Thurman Munson has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Thurman Munson played 1969–1979 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
Roger Bresnahan (1897–1915) and Thurman Munson (1969–1979) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roger Bresnahan finished with 1,252 hits and 26 home runs; Thurman Munson finished with 1,558 hits and 113 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Thurman Munson, with 113 to Roger Bresnahan's 26.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roger Bresnahan, with .764 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average? Thurman Munson, with .292 to Roger Bresnahan's .279.
- Who had more hits? Thurman Munson, with 1,558 to Roger Bresnahan's 1,252.
- Who drove in more runs? Thurman Munson, with 701 to Roger Bresnahan's 530.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roger Bresnahan, with 18,191 career PIV to Thurman Munson's 8,466.
- Who won more championships? Thurman Munson, with 2 World Series titles to Roger Bresnahan's 1.
Roger Bresnahan
Thurman Munson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roger Bresnahan and Thurman Munson. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roger Bresnahan | Thurman Munson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,446 | 1,423 |
| At-Bats | 4,481 | Leads: 5,344 |
| Runs | 682 | Leads: 696 |
| Hits | 1,252 | Leads: 1,558 |
| Doubles | 218 | Leads: 229 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 32 |
| Home Runs | 26 | Leads: 113 |
| RBI | 530 | Leads: 701 |
| Walks | Leads: 714 | 438 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 403 | 571 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 212 | 48 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .292 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .346 |
| Slugging % | .377 | Leads: .410 |
| OPS | Leads: .764 | .756 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Bresnahan outpaces Thurman Munson 18,191 to 8,466 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,011 PIV per season to 770, across 18 seasons to 11. 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
Thurman Munson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Thurman Munson 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 Thurman Munson. Note that PIV actually grades Roger Bresnahan ahead, which means Thurman Munson's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roger Bresnahan and Thurman Munson careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Roger Bresnahan's ended in 1915, and Thurman Munson debuted in 1969. With 1,446 games against 1,423 across 18 and 11 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), while Thurman Munson struck out more than walked (571 to 438). Thurman Munson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 113 of 1,558 hits leaving the park. Roger Bresnahan was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Thurman Munson's slugging percentage of .410 tops Roger Bresnahan's .377.
Roger Bresnahan vs Thurman Munson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Bresnahan or Thurman Munson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Thurman Munson leads Roger Bresnahan in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roger Bresnahan or Thurman Munson hit more home runs?
- Thurman Munson, with 113 to Roger Bresnahan's 26.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roger Bresnahan, with .764 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Thurman Munson, with .292 to Roger Bresnahan's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Thurman Munson, with 1,558 to Roger Bresnahan's 1,252.