George Brett vs Honus Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Honus Wagner has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Honus Wagner played 1897–1917 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 Honus Wagner (1897–1917) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1890s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. George Brett finished with 3,154 hits and 317 home runs; Honus Wagner finished with 3,420 hits and 101 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 Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS? Honus Wagner, with .858 to George Brett's .857.
- Who had the higher batting average? Honus Wagner, with .328 to George Brett's .305.
- Who had more hits? Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to George Brett's 3,154.
- Who drove in more runs? Honus Wagner, with 1,733 to George Brett's 1,596.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Honus Wagner, with 59,177 career PIV to George Brett's 41,511.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
George Brett
Honus Wagner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Brett and Honus Wagner. 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 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | George Brett | Honus Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,707 | Leads: 2,794 |
| At-Bats | 10,349 | Leads: 10,439 |
| Runs | 1,583 | Leads: 1,739 |
| Hits | 3,154 | Leads: 3,420 |
| Doubles | Leads: 665 | 643 |
| Triples | 137 | Leads: 252 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 317 | 101 |
| RBI | 1,596 | Leads: 1,733 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,096 | 963 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 908 | 735 |
| Stolen Bases | 201 | Leads: 723 |
| Batting Avg | .305 | Leads: .328 |
| On-Base % | .369 | Leads: .391 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .487 | .467 |
| OPS | .857 | Leads: .858 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Honus Wagner outpaces George Brett 59,177 to 41,511 — driven by per-season impact — 2,818 PIV per season to 1,977 — rather than by longevity, since Honus Wagner played 21 seasons to George Brett'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).
George Brett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Honus Wagner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Honus Wagner leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while George Brett owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Honus Wagner. PIV agrees: Honus Wagner 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 Honus Wagner careers compare
Honus Wagner (1897–1917) was finished before George Brett (1973–1993) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,707 games against 2,794 across 21 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where George Brett comes out ahead, it is in doubles (665 to 643), home runs (317 to 101), and walks (1,096 to 963). George Brett walked more often than struck out (1,096 walks, 908 strikeouts); Honus Wagner walked more often than struck out (963 walks, 735 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of George Brett's hits: 317 of 3,154 for George Brett, 101 of 3,420 for Honus Wagner.
George Brett vs Honus Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Brett or Honus Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Honus Wagner leads George Brett in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Brett or Honus Wagner hit more home runs?
- George Brett, with 317 to Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Honus Wagner, with .858 to George Brett's .857.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Honus Wagner, with .328 to George Brett's .305.
- Who had more hits?
- Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to George Brett's 3,154.