Ty Cobb vs Gavvy Cravath: Career Stats Comparison
Ty Cobb has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ty Cobb played 1905–1928 as a hitter; Gavvy Cravath played 1908–1920 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
Ty Cobb (1905–1928) and Gavvy Cravath (1908–1920) — both debuted in the 1900s. Ty Cobb finished with 4,189 hits and 117 home runs; Gavvy Cravath finished with 1,134 hits and 119 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Ty Cobb, in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Gavvy Cravath, with 119 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ty Cobb, with .945 to Gavvy Cravath's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ty Cobb, with .366 to Gavvy Cravath's .287.
- Who had more hits? Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Gavvy Cravath's 1,134.
- Who drove in more runs? Ty Cobb, with 1,944 to Gavvy Cravath's 719.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ty Cobb, with 87,488 career PIV to Gavvy Cravath's 23,467.
Gavvy Cravath
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ty Cobb and Gavvy Cravath. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Ty Cobb | Gavvy Cravath |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,035 | 1,220 |
| At-Bats not scored | 11,436 | 3,951 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,247 | 575 |
| Hits | Leads: 4,189 | 1,134 |
| Doubles | Leads: 724 | 232 |
| Triples | Leads: 295 | 83 |
| Home Runs | 117 | Leads: 119 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,944 | 719 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,249 | 561 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 680 | 578 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 896 | 89 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .366 | .287 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .433 | .380 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .512 | .478 |
| OPS | Leads: .945 | .858 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ty Cobb outpaces Gavvy Cravath 87,488 to 23,467 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,645 PIV per season to 2,133, across 24 seasons to 11. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Ty Cobb — top 3 seasons by OPS
Gavvy Cravath — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Ty Cobb leads 11 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Gavvy Cravath leads 1: home runs. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ty Cobb. PIV agrees: Ty Cobb grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ty Cobb and Gavvy Cravath careers compare
From 1908 through 1920, Ty Cobb and Gavvy Cravath were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Ty Cobb appeared in 3,035 games to Gavvy Cravath's 1,220. The green cells for Gavvy Cravath are home runs (119 to 117). At the plate, Ty Cobb walked more often than struck out (1,249 walks, 680 strikeouts), while Gavvy Cravath struck out more than walked (578 to 561). Gavvy Cravath is the more power-leaning hitter, with 119 of 1,134 hits leaving the park. Ty Cobb was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Ty Cobb's on-base percentage of .433 tops Gavvy Cravath's .380.
Ty Cobb vs Gavvy Cravath: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ty Cobb or Gavvy Cravath?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ty Cobb leads Gavvy Cravath in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Ty Cobb or Gavvy Cravath hit more home runs?
- Gavvy Cravath, with 119 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ty Cobb, with .945 to Gavvy Cravath's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ty Cobb, with .366 to Gavvy Cravath's .287.
- Who had more hits?
- Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Gavvy Cravath's 1,134.