George Davis vs Nap Lajoie: Career Stats Comparison
Nap Lajoie 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). George Davis played 1890–1909 as a hitter; Nap Lajoie played 1896–1916 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
George Davis (1890–1909) and Nap Lajoie (1896–1916) — both broke in during the 1890s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. George Davis finished with 2,665 hits and 73 home runs; Nap Lajoie finished with 3,243 hits and 82 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Nap Lajoie, with 82 to George Davis's 73.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nap Lajoie, with .846 to George Davis's .767.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nap Lajoie, with .338 to George Davis's .295.
- Who had more hits? Nap Lajoie, with 3,243 to George Davis's 2,665.
- Who drove in more runs? Nap Lajoie, with 1,599 to George Davis's 1,440.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nap Lajoie, with 47,526 career PIV to George Davis's 21,250.
- Who won more championships? George Davis, with 1 World Series title to Nap Lajoie's 0.
George Davis
Nap Lajoie
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Davis and Nap Lajoie. 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 | George Davis | Nap Lajoie |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,372 | Leads: 2,480 |
| At-Bats | 9,045 | Leads: 9,590 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,545 | 1,504 |
| Hits | 2,665 | Leads: 3,243 |
| Doubles | 453 | Leads: 657 |
| Triples | 163 | 163 |
| Home Runs | 73 | Leads: 82 |
| RBI | 1,440 | Leads: 1,599 |
| Walks | Leads: 874 | 516 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 613 | 347 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 619 | 380 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .338 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .405 | Leads: .466 |
| OPS | .767 | Leads: .846 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nap Lajoie outpaces George Davis 47,526 to 21,250 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,160 PIV per season to 1,062, across 22 seasons to 20. 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).
George Davis — top 3 seasons by OPS
Nap Lajoie — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nap Lajoie leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while George Davis owns runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nap Lajoie. PIV agrees: Nap Lajoie grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Davis and Nap Lajoie careers compare
George Davis and Nap Lajoie were active at the same time between 1896 and 1909. The two careers are close in length, 2,372 games for George Davis and 2,480 for Nap Lajoie across 20 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. George Davis's edges on the table are runs (1,545 to 1,504), walks (874 to 516), and stolen bases (619 to 380). George Davis walked more often than struck out (874 walks, 613 strikeouts); Nap Lajoie walked more often than struck out (516 walks, 347 strikeouts). George Davis was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Nap Lajoie holds the edge, .466 to .405.
George Davis vs Nap Lajoie: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Davis or Nap Lajoie?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nap Lajoie leads George Davis in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Davis or Nap Lajoie hit more home runs?
- Nap Lajoie, with 82 to George Davis's 73.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nap Lajoie, with .846 to George Davis's .767.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nap Lajoie, with .338 to George Davis's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Nap Lajoie, with 3,243 to George Davis's 2,665.