Eddie Collins vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Collins has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Eddie Collins played 1906–1930 as a hitter; Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 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
Eddie Collins (1906–1930) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — they broke in during the 1900s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Eddie Collins finished with 3,315 hits and 47 home runs; Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Eddie Collins's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Eddie Collins's .853.
- Who had the higher batting average? Eddie Collins, with .333 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Collins, with 3,315 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Eddie Collins's 1,300.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Collins, with 54,794 career PIV to Eddie Mathews's 45,555.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Collins, with 6 World Series titles to Eddie Mathews's 2.
Eddie Collins
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Collins and Eddie Mathews. 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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Eddie Collins | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,826 | 2,391 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,949 | 8,537 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,821 | 1,509 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,315 | 2,315 |
| Doubles | Leads: 438 | 354 |
| Triples | Leads: 187 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 47 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 1,300 | Leads: 1,453 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,499 | 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 467 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 741 | 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .333 | .271 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .424 | .376 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .853 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Collins leads Eddie Mathews 54,794 to 45,555 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Eddie Collins played 25 seasons to Eddie Mathews's 18, while Eddie Mathews carries the higher per-season figure (2,531 to 2,192). 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).
Eddie Collins — top 3 seasons by OPS
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Collins leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Eddie Mathews owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Collins. PIV agrees: Eddie Collins grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Eddie Collins and Eddie Mathews careers compare
No season is shared: Eddie Collins played 1906–1930, Eddie Mathews 1952–1968. With 2,826 games against 2,391 across 25 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Eddie Mathews's edges on the table are home runs (512 to 47), RBI (1,453 to 1,300), and slugging percentage (.509 to .429). Plate discipline differs: Eddie Collins walked more often than struck out (1,499 walks, 467 strikeouts), but Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Home runs make up a larger share of Eddie Mathews's hits: 47 of 3,315 for Eddie Collins, 512 of 2,315 for Eddie Mathews. Eddie Collins was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Eddie Collins vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Collins or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Collins leads Eddie Mathews in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Eddie Collins or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Eddie Collins's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Eddie Collins's .853.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Eddie Collins, with .333 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Collins, with 3,315 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.