Ty Cobb vs Andre Dawson: Career Stats Comparison
Ty Cobb 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). Ty Cobb played 1905–1928 as a hitter; Andre Dawson played 1976–1996 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 Andre Dawson (1976–1996) — they broke in during the 1900s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ty Cobb finished with 4,189 hits and 117 home runs; Andre Dawson finished with 2,774 hits and 438 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Andre Dawson, with 438 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ty Cobb, with .945 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ty Cobb, with .366 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Andre Dawson's 2,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Ty Cobb, with 1,944 to Andre Dawson's 1,591.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ty Cobb, with 87,488 career PIV to Andre Dawson's 20,948.
Andre Dawson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ty Cobb and Andre Dawson. 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 1900s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ty Cobb | Andre Dawson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,035 | 2,627 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,436 | 9,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,247 | 1,373 |
| Hits | Leads: 4,189 | 2,774 |
| Doubles | Leads: 724 | 503 |
| Triples | Leads: 295 | 98 |
| Home Runs | 117 | Leads: 438 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,944 | 1,591 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,249 | 589 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 680 | 1,509 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 896 | 314 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .366 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .433 | .323 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .512 | .482 |
| OPS | Leads: .945 | .806 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ty Cobb outpaces Andre Dawson 87,488 to 20,948 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,645 PIV per season to 998, across 24 seasons to 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).
Ty Cobb — top 3 seasons by OPS
Andre Dawson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ty Cobb leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Andre Dawson owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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 Andre Dawson careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Ty Cobb's ended in 1928, and Andre Dawson debuted in 1976. With 3,035 games against 2,627 across 24 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Andre Dawson are home runs (438 to 117). Plate discipline differs: Ty Cobb walked more often than struck out (1,249 walks, 680 strikeouts), but Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589). Andre Dawson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 438 of 2,774 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Ty Cobb stole more often per game played (896 steals in 3,035 games for Ty Cobb, 314 in 2,627 for Andre Dawson).
Ty Cobb vs Andre Dawson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ty Cobb or Andre Dawson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ty Cobb leads Andre Dawson in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ty Cobb or Andre Dawson hit more home runs?
- Andre Dawson, with 438 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ty Cobb, with .945 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ty Cobb, with .366 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Andre Dawson's 2,774.