Lou Brock vs Nellie Fox: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Brock has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lou Brock played 1961–1979 as a hitter; Nellie Fox played 1947–1965 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
Lou Brock (1961–1979) and Nellie Fox (1947–1965) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Brock finished with 3,023 hits and 149 home runs; Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Brock, with 149 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Brock, with .753 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Brock, with .293 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits? Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Nellie Fox's 2,663.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Brock, with 900 to Nellie Fox's 790.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Brock, with 18,115 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
- Who won more championships? Lou Brock, with 2 World Series titles to Nellie Fox's 0.
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Brock and Nellie Fox. 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 1960s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lou Brock | Nellie Fox |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,616 | 2,367 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,332 | 9,232 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,610 | 1,279 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,023 | 2,663 |
| Doubles | Leads: 486 | 355 |
| Triples | Leads: 141 | 112 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 149 | 35 |
| RBI | Leads: 900 | 790 |
| Walks | Leads: 761 | 719 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,730 | 216 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 938 | 76 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .293 | .288 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .410 | .363 |
| OPS | Leads: .753 | .710 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Brock outpaces Nellie Fox 18,115 to 1,100 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 906 PIV per season to 58, across 20 seasons to 19. 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).
Lou Brock — top 3 seasons by OPS
Nellie Fox — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Brock leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Nellie Fox owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Brock. PIV agrees: Lou Brock grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lou Brock and Nellie Fox careers compare
From 1961 through 1965, Lou Brock and Nellie Fox were in the majors together. With 2,616 games against 2,367 across 20 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Nellie Fox's edges on the table are on-base percentage (.348 to .343). Plate discipline differs: Lou Brock struck out more than walked (1,730 to 761), but Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Lou Brock's hits: 149 of 3,023 for Lou Brock, 35 of 2,663 for Nellie Fox.
Lou Brock vs Nellie Fox: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Brock or Nellie Fox?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Brock leads Nellie Fox in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Brock or Nellie Fox hit more home runs?
- Lou Brock, with 149 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Brock, with .753 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Brock, with .293 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Nellie Fox's 2,663.