Gavvy Cravath vs Zack Wheat: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Wheat has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. 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 broke in during the 1900s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. 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 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. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Gavvy Cravath | Zack Wheat |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,220 | Leads: 2,410 |
| At-Bats | 3,951 | Leads: 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 | 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 gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,598 vs 1,956 per year). 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
On the head-to-head card, Zack Wheat leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Gavvy Cravath owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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
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 11 of 14 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.