Ty Cobb vs Harry Heilmann: Career Stats Comparison
Ty Cobb has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Harry Heilmann played 1914–1932 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 Harry Heilmann (1914–1932) — they debuted in the 1900s and the 1910s respectively and share 15 seasons. Ty Cobb finished with 4,189 hits and 117 home runs; Harry Heilmann finished with 2,660 hits and 183 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 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Harry Heilmann, with 183 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ty Cobb, with .945 to Harry Heilmann's .930.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ty Cobb, with .366 to Harry Heilmann's .342.
- Who had more hits? Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Harry Heilmann's 2,660.
- Who drove in more runs? Ty Cobb, with 1,944 to Harry Heilmann's 1,539.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ty Cobb, with 87,488 career PIV to Harry Heilmann's 46,791.
Harry Heilmann
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ty Cobb and Harry Heilmann. 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 | Harry Heilmann |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,035 | 2,148 |
| At-Bats not scored | 11,436 | 7,787 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,247 | 1,291 |
| Hits | Leads: 4,189 | 2,660 |
| Doubles | Leads: 724 | 542 |
| Triples | Leads: 295 | 151 |
| Home Runs | 117 | Leads: 183 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,944 | 1,539 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,249 | 856 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 680 | 550 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 896 | 113 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .366 | .342 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .433 | .410 |
| Slugging % | .512 | Leads: .520 |
| OPS | Leads: .945 | .930 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ty Cobb outpaces Harry Heilmann 87,488 to 46,791 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,645 PIV per season to 2,752, across 24 seasons to 17. 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
Harry Heilmann — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Ty Cobb leads 10 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Harry Heilmann leads 2: home runs and slugging percentage. 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 Harry Heilmann careers compare
From 1914 through 1928, Ty Cobb and Harry Heilmann were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 3,035 games for Ty Cobb and 2,148 for Harry Heilmann across 24 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Harry Heilmann are home runs (183 to 117) and slugging percentage (.520 to .512). At the plate, Ty Cobb walked more often than struck out (1,249 walks, 680 strikeouts), and Harry Heilmann walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 550 strikeouts). Harry Heilmann is the more power-leaning hitter, with 183 of 2,660 hits leaving the park.
Ty Cobb vs Harry Heilmann: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ty Cobb or Harry Heilmann?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ty Cobb leads Harry Heilmann in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Ty Cobb or Harry Heilmann hit more home runs?
- Harry Heilmann, with 183 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ty Cobb, with .945 to Harry Heilmann's .930.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ty Cobb, with .366 to Harry Heilmann's .342.
- Who had more hits?
- Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Harry Heilmann's 2,660.