Mickey Cochrane vs Elston Howard: Career Stats Comparison
Mickey Cochrane has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Mickey Cochrane played 1925–1937 as a hitter; Elston Howard played 1955–1968 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
Mickey Cochrane (1925–1937) and Elston Howard (1955–1968) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mickey Cochrane finished with 1,652 hits and 119 home runs; Elston Howard finished with 1,491 hits and 168 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Elston Howard, with 168 to Mickey Cochrane's 119.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mickey Cochrane, with .897 to Elston Howard's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mickey Cochrane, with .320 to Elston Howard's .274.
- Who had more hits? Mickey Cochrane, with 1,652 to Elston Howard's 1,491.
- Who drove in more runs? Mickey Cochrane, with 832 to Elston Howard's 775.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mickey Cochrane, with 24,892 career PIV to Elston Howard's 6,426.
- Who won more championships? Elston Howard, with 4 World Series titles to Mickey Cochrane's 3.
Mickey Cochrane
Elston Howard
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mickey Cochrane and Elston Howard. 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 1920s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mickey Cochrane | Elston Howard |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,482 | Leads: 1,625 |
| At-Bats | 5,169 | Leads: 5,443 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,041 | 635 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,652 | 1,491 |
| Doubles | Leads: 333 | 223 |
| Triples | Leads: 64 | 53 |
| Home Runs | 119 | Leads: 168 |
| RBI | Leads: 832 | 775 |
| Walks | Leads: 857 | 376 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 217 | 786 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 64 | 10 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .320 | .274 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .419 | .321 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .478 | .427 |
| OPS | Leads: .897 | .748 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mickey Cochrane outpaces Elston Howard 24,892 to 6,426 — driven by per-season impact — 1,915 PIV per season to 402 — rather than by longevity, since Mickey Cochrane played 13 seasons to Elston Howard's 16. 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).
Mickey Cochrane — top 3 seasons by OPS
Elston Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mickey Cochrane leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Elston Howard owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mickey Cochrane. PIV agrees: Mickey Cochrane grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mickey Cochrane and Elston Howard careers compare
Mickey Cochrane (1925–1937) was finished before Elston Howard (1955–1968) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 1,482 games against 1,625 across 13 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Elston Howard's edges on the table are games (1,625 to 1,482), at-bats (5,443 to 5,169), and home runs (168 to 119). Plate discipline differs: Mickey Cochrane walked more often than struck out (857 walks, 217 strikeouts), but Elston Howard struck out more than walked (786 to 376). Elston Howard is the more power-leaning hitter, with 168 of 1,491 hits leaving the park.
Mickey Cochrane vs Elston Howard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mickey Cochrane or Elston Howard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mickey Cochrane leads Elston Howard in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mickey Cochrane or Elston Howard hit more home runs?
- Elston Howard, with 168 to Mickey Cochrane's 119.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mickey Cochrane, with .897 to Elston Howard's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mickey Cochrane, with .320 to Elston Howard's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Mickey Cochrane, with 1,652 to Elston Howard's 1,491.