Earle Combs vs Al Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Al Simmons 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). Earle Combs played 1924–1935 as a hitter; Al Simmons played 1924–1944 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
Earle Combs (1924–1935) and Al Simmons (1924–1944) — both broke in during the 1920s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Earle Combs finished with 1,866 hits and 58 home runs; Al Simmons finished with 2,927 hits and 307 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Al Simmons, with 307 to Earle Combs's 58.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Simmons, with .915 to Earle Combs's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Simmons, with .334 to Earle Combs's .325.
- Who had more hits? Al Simmons, with 2,927 to Earle Combs's 1,866.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Simmons, with 1,827 to Earle Combs's 632.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Simmons, with 40,529 career PIV to Earle Combs's 19,222.
- Who won more championships? Earle Combs, with 3 World Series titles to Al Simmons's 2.
Earle Combs
Al Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Earle Combs and Al Simmons. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Earle Combs | Al Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,455 | Leads: 2,215 |
| At-Bats | 5,746 | Leads: 8,759 |
| Runs | 1,186 | Leads: 1,507 |
| Hits | 1,866 | Leads: 2,927 |
| Doubles | 309 | Leads: 539 |
| Triples | Leads: 154 | 149 |
| Home Runs | 58 | Leads: 307 |
| RBI | 632 | Leads: 1,827 |
| Walks | Leads: 670 | 615 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 278 | 737 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 96 | 88 |
| Batting Avg | .325 | Leads: .334 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .397 | .380 |
| Slugging % | .462 | Leads: .535 |
| OPS | .859 | Leads: .915 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Simmons outpaces Earle Combs 40,529 to 19,222 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,930 PIV per season to 1,602, across 21 seasons to 12. 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).
Earle Combs — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Simmons leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Earle Combs owns stolen bases and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Simmons. PIV agrees: Al Simmons grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Earle Combs and Al Simmons careers compare
From 1924 through 1935, Earle Combs and Al Simmons were in the majors together. Al Simmons has the far longer record, 2,215 games against 1,455 across 12 and 21 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Earle Combs comes out ahead, it is in triples (154 to 149), walks (670 to 615), and stolen bases (96 to 88). At the plate, Earle Combs walked more often than struck out (670 walks, 278 strikeouts), while Al Simmons struck out more than walked (737 to 615). Al Simmons is the more power-leaning hitter, with 307 of 2,927 hits leaving the park.
Earle Combs vs Al Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Earle Combs or Al Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Simmons leads Earle Combs in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Earle Combs or Al Simmons hit more home runs?
- Al Simmons, with 307 to Earle Combs's 58.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Simmons, with .915 to Earle Combs's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Simmons, with .334 to Earle Combs's .325.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Simmons, with 2,927 to Earle Combs's 1,866.