Smoky Burgess vs Nellie Fox: Career Stats Comparison
Nellie Fox 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). Smoky Burgess played 1949–1967 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
Smoky Burgess (1949–1967) and Nellie Fox (1947–1965) — both broke in during the 1940s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Smoky Burgess finished with 1,318 hits and 126 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? Smoky Burgess, with 126 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Smoky Burgess, with .807 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Smoky Burgess, with .295 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Smoky Burgess's 1,318.
- Who drove in more runs? Nellie Fox, with 790 to Smoky Burgess's 673.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Smoky Burgess, with 11,198 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
- Who won more championships? Smoky Burgess, with 1 World Series title to Nellie Fox's 0.
Smoky Burgess
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Smoky Burgess 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Smoky Burgess | Nellie Fox |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,691 | Leads: 2,367 |
| At-Bats | 4,471 | Leads: 9,232 |
| Runs | 485 | Leads: 1,279 |
| Hits | 1,318 | Leads: 2,663 |
| Doubles | 230 | Leads: 355 |
| Triples | 33 | Leads: 112 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 126 | 35 |
| RBI | 673 | Leads: 790 |
| Walks | 477 | Leads: 719 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 270 | 216 |
| Stolen Bases | 13 | Leads: 76 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .362 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .446 | .363 |
| OPS | Leads: .807 | .710 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Smoky Burgess outpaces Nellie Fox 11,198 to 1,100 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 560 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).
Smoky Burgess — top 3 seasons by OPS
Nellie Fox — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Smoky Burgess leads in home runs, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Nellie Fox owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Smoky Burgess. PIV agrees: Smoky Burgess grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Smoky Burgess and Nellie Fox careers compare
From 1949 through 1965, Smoky Burgess and Nellie Fox were in the majors together. With 1,691 games against 2,367 across 20 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Smoky Burgess walked more often than struck out (477 walks, 270 strikeouts), and Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts). Smoky Burgess is the more power-leaning hitter, with 126 of 1,318 hits leaving the park. Smoky Burgess's on-base percentage of .362 tops Nellie Fox's .348. Smoky Burgess owns the better peak by OPS: .942 OPS in 1954 for Smoky Burgess against .818 OPS in 1957 for Nellie Fox.
Smoky Burgess vs Nellie Fox: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Smoky Burgess or Nellie Fox?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nellie Fox leads Smoky Burgess in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Smoky Burgess or Nellie Fox hit more home runs?
- Smoky Burgess, with 126 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Smoky Burgess, with .807 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Smoky Burgess, with .295 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Smoky Burgess's 1,318.