Gavvy Cravath vs Zack Wheat: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Wheat has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Gavvy Cravath played 1908–1920 as a hitter; Zack Wheat played 1909–1927 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
Gavvy Cravath (1908–1920) and Zack Wheat (1909–1927) — both debuted in the 1900s. Gavvy Cravath finished with 1,134 hits and 119 home runs; Zack Wheat finished with 2,884 hits and 132 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Zack Wheat, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Zack Wheat, with 132 to Gavvy Cravath's 119.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gavvy Cravath, with .858 to Zack Wheat's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Zack Wheat, with .317 to Gavvy Cravath's .287.
- Who had more hits? Zack Wheat, with 2,884 to Gavvy Cravath's 1,134.
- Who drove in more runs? Zack Wheat, with 1,248 to Gavvy Cravath's 719.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Zack Wheat, with 30,370 career PIV to Gavvy Cravath's 23,467.
Gavvy Cravath
Zack Wheat
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gavvy Cravath and Zack Wheat. 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 | Gavvy Cravath | Zack Wheat |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,220 | 2,410 |
| At-Bats not scored | 3,951 | 9,106 |
| Runs | 575 | Leads: 1,289 |
| Hits | 1,134 | Leads: 2,884 |
| Doubles | 232 | Leads: 476 |
| Triples | 83 | Leads: 172 |
| Home Runs | 119 | Leads: 132 |
| RBI | 719 | Leads: 1,248 |
| Walks | 561 | Leads: 650 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 578 | 572 |
| Stolen Bases | 89 | Leads: 205 |
| Batting Avg | .287 | Leads: .317 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .380 | .367 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .478 | .450 |
| OPS | Leads: .858 | .817 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Wheat leads Gavvy Cravath 30,370 to 23,467 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Zack Wheat played 19 seasons to Gavvy Cravath's 11, while Gavvy Cravath carries the higher per-season figure (2,133 to 1,598). 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).
Gavvy Cravath — top 3 seasons by OPS
Zack Wheat — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Zack Wheat leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Gavvy Cravath leads 3: on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Wheat. PIV agrees: Zack Wheat grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gavvy Cravath and Zack Wheat careers compare
The careers of Gavvy Cravath (1908–1920) and Zack Wheat (1909–1927) overlapped from 1909 to 1920, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 1,220 games of Gavvy Cravath with 2,410 of Zack Wheat across 11 and 19 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Gavvy Cravath's edges on the table are on-base percentage (.380 to .367), slugging percentage (.478 to .450), and OPS (.858 to .817). Plate discipline differs: Gavvy Cravath struck out more than walked (578 to 561), but Zack Wheat walked more often than struck out (650 walks, 572 strikeouts). Gavvy Cravath is the more power-leaning hitter, with 119 of 1,134 hits leaving the park.
Gavvy Cravath vs Zack Wheat: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gavvy Cravath or Zack Wheat?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Wheat leads Gavvy Cravath in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Gavvy Cravath or Zack Wheat hit more home runs?
- Zack Wheat, with 132 to Gavvy Cravath's 119.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gavvy Cravath, with .858 to Zack Wheat's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Zack Wheat, with .317 to Gavvy Cravath's .287.
- Who had more hits?
- Zack Wheat, with 2,884 to Gavvy Cravath's 1,134.