Bill Dahlen vs George Davis: Career Stats Comparison
George Davis has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Bill Dahlen played 1891–1911 as a hitter; George Davis played 1890–1909 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
Bill Dahlen (1891–1911) and George Davis (1890–1909) — both broke in during the 1890s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Bill Dahlen finished with 2,461 hits and 84 home runs; George Davis finished with 2,665 hits and 73 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Bill Dahlen, with 84 to George Davis's 73.
- Who had the higher OPS? George Davis, with .767 to Bill Dahlen's .740.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Davis, with .295 to Bill Dahlen's .272.
- Who had more hits? George Davis, with 2,665 to Bill Dahlen's 2,461.
- Who drove in more runs? George Davis, with 1,440 to Bill Dahlen's 1,234.
- Who has the higher career PIV? George Davis, with 21,250 career PIV to Bill Dahlen's 17,465.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Bill Dahlen
George Davis
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bill Dahlen and George Davis. 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 | Bill Dahlen | George Davis |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,444 | 2,372 |
| At-Bats | 9,036 | Leads: 9,045 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,590 | 1,545 |
| Hits | 2,461 | Leads: 2,665 |
| Doubles | 413 | Leads: 453 |
| Triples | 163 | 163 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 84 | 73 |
| RBI | 1,234 | Leads: 1,440 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,064 | 874 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 759 | 613 |
| Stolen Bases | 548 | Leads: 619 |
| Batting Avg | .272 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .362 |
| Slugging % | .382 | Leads: .405 |
| OPS | .740 | Leads: .767 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), George Davis leads Bill Dahlen 21,250 to 17,465 — driven by per-season impact — 1,062 PIV per season to 832 — rather than by longevity, since George Davis played 20 seasons to Bill Dahlen's 21. 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).
Bill Dahlen — top 3 seasons by OPS
George Davis — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, George Davis leads in hits, RBI, stolen bases, and batting average, while Bill Dahlen owns home runs and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to George Davis. PIV agrees: George Davis grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bill Dahlen and George Davis careers compare
Bill Dahlen and George Davis were active at the same time between 1891 and 1909. With 2,444 games against 2,372 across 21 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Bill Dahlen's edges on the table are games (2,444 to 2,372), runs (1,590 to 1,545), and home runs (84 to 73). At the plate, Bill Dahlen walked more often than struck out (1,064 walks, 759 strikeouts), and George Davis walked more often than struck out (874 walks, 613 strikeouts). George Davis was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, George Davis holds the edge, .362 to .358.
Bill Dahlen vs George Davis: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bill Dahlen or George Davis?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, George Davis leads Bill Dahlen in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bill Dahlen or George Davis hit more home runs?
- Bill Dahlen, with 84 to George Davis's 73.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- George Davis, with .767 to Bill Dahlen's .740.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Davis, with .295 to Bill Dahlen's .272.
- Who had more hits?
- George Davis, with 2,665 to Bill Dahlen's 2,461.