George Brett vs Charlie Gehringer: Career Stats Comparison
George Brett 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). George Brett played 1973–1993 as a hitter; Charlie Gehringer played 1924–1942 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
George Brett (1973–1993) and Charlie Gehringer (1924–1942) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. George Brett finished with 3,154 hits and 317 home runs; Charlie Gehringer finished with 2,839 hits and 184 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? George Brett, with 317 to Charlie Gehringer's 184.
- Who had the higher OPS? Charlie Gehringer, with .884 to George Brett's .857.
- Who had the higher batting average? Charlie Gehringer, with .320 to George Brett's .305.
- Who had more hits? George Brett, with 3,154 to Charlie Gehringer's 2,839.
- Who drove in more runs? George Brett, with 1,596 to Charlie Gehringer's 1,427.
- Who has the higher career PIV? George Brett, with 41,511 career PIV to Charlie Gehringer's 39,288.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
George Brett
Charlie Gehringer
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Brett and Charlie Gehringer. 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 1970s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | George Brett | Charlie Gehringer |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,707 | 2,323 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,349 | 8,860 |
| Runs | 1,583 | Leads: 1,774 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,154 | 2,839 |
| Doubles | Leads: 665 | 574 |
| Triples | 137 | Leads: 146 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 317 | 184 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,596 | 1,427 |
| Walks | 1,096 | Leads: 1,186 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 908 | 372 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 201 | 181 |
| Batting Avg | .305 | Leads: .320 |
| On-Base % | .369 | Leads: .404 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .487 | .480 |
| OPS | .857 | Leads: .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), George Brett edges Charlie Gehringer 41,511 to 39,288 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: George Brett played 21 seasons to Charlie Gehringer's 19, while Charlie Gehringer carries the higher per-season figure (2,068 to 1,977). 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).
George Brett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Charlie Gehringer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, George Brett leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and stolen bases, while Charlie Gehringer owns runs, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to George Brett. PIV agrees: George Brett grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Brett and Charlie Gehringer careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Charlie Gehringer's ended in 1942, and George Brett debuted in 1973. With 2,707 games against 2,323 across 21 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. George Brett walked more often than struck out (1,096 walks, 908 strikeouts); Charlie Gehringer walked more often than struck out (1,186 walks, 372 strikeouts). George Brett is the more power-leaning hitter, with 317 of 3,154 hits leaving the park. Charlie Gehringer was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Charlie Gehringer holds the edge, .404 to .369.
George Brett vs Charlie Gehringer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Brett or Charlie Gehringer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, George Brett leads Charlie Gehringer in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Brett or Charlie Gehringer hit more home runs?
- George Brett, with 317 to Charlie Gehringer's 184.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Charlie Gehringer, with .884 to George Brett's .857.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Charlie Gehringer, with .320 to George Brett's .305.
- Who had more hits?
- George Brett, with 3,154 to Charlie Gehringer's 2,839.