Jimmy Collins vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews 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). Jimmy Collins played 1895–1908 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
Jimmy Collins (1895–1908) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jimmy Collins finished with 1,999 hits and 65 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 Jimmy Collins's 65.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Jimmy Collins's .752.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jimmy Collins, with .294 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Jimmy Collins's 1,999.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Jimmy Collins's 983.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Jimmy Collins's 13,677.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Jimmy Collins's 1.
Jimmy Collins
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jimmy 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 1890s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jimmy Collins | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,725 | Leads: 2,391 |
| At-Bats | 6,795 | Leads: 8,537 |
| Runs | 1,055 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Hits | 1,999 | Leads: 2,315 |
| Doubles | 352 | Leads: 354 |
| Triples | Leads: 116 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 65 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 983 | Leads: 1,453 |
| Walks | 426 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 266 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 194 | 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .271 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .409 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .752 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Jimmy Collins 45,555 to 13,677 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,531 PIV per season to 855, across 18 seasons to 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).
Jimmy Collins — top 3 seasons by OPS
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jimmy Collins owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Mathews. PIV agrees: Eddie Mathews grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jimmy Collins and Eddie Mathews careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Jimmy Collins's ended in 1908, and Eddie Mathews debuted in 1952. The two careers are close in length, 1,725 games for Jimmy Collins and 2,391 for Eddie Mathews across 16 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Jimmy Collins comes out ahead, it is in triples (116 to 72), stolen bases (194 to 68), and batting average (.294 to .271). At the plate, Jimmy Collins walked more often than struck out (426 walks, 266 strikeouts), while Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Eddie Mathews is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,315 hits leaving the park.
Jimmy Collins vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jimmy Collins or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Jimmy Collins in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jimmy Collins or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Jimmy Collins's 65.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Jimmy Collins's .752.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jimmy Collins, with .294 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Jimmy Collins's 1,999.