Andre Dawson vs Kirk Gibson: Career Stats Comparison
Andre Dawson has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Andre Dawson played 1976–1996 as a hitter; Kirk Gibson played 1979–1995 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
Andre Dawson (1976–1996) and Kirk Gibson (1979–1995) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Andre Dawson finished with 2,774 hits and 438 home runs; Kirk Gibson finished with 1,553 hits and 255 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Andre Dawson, with 438 to Kirk Gibson's 255.
- Who had the higher OPS? Kirk Gibson, with .815 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Andre Dawson, with .279 to Kirk Gibson's .268.
- Who had more hits? Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Kirk Gibson's 1,553.
- Who drove in more runs? Andre Dawson, with 1,591 to Kirk Gibson's 870.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Andre Dawson, with 20,948 career PIV to Kirk Gibson's 15,883.
- Who won more championships? Kirk Gibson, with 2 World Series titles to Andre Dawson's 0.
Andre Dawson
Kirk Gibson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Andre Dawson and Kirk Gibson. 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 | Andre Dawson | Kirk Gibson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,627 | 1,635 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,927 | 5,798 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,373 | 985 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,774 | 1,553 |
| Doubles | Leads: 503 | 260 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 54 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 438 | 255 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,591 | 870 |
| Walks | 589 | Leads: 718 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,509 | 1,285 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 314 | 284 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .268 |
| On-Base % | .323 | Leads: .352 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .482 | .463 |
| OPS | .806 | Leads: .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Andre Dawson leads Kirk Gibson 20,948 to 15,883 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 998 PIV per season to 934, across 21 seasons to 17. 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).
Andre Dawson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Kirk Gibson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Andre Dawson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Kirk Gibson owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Andre Dawson. PIV agrees: Andre Dawson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Andre Dawson and Kirk Gibson careers compare
Andre Dawson and Kirk Gibson were active at the same time between 1979 and 1995. Andre Dawson has the far longer record, 2,627 games against 1,635 across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Kirk Gibson comes out ahead, it is in walks (718 to 589), on-base percentage (.352 to .323), and OPS (.815 to .806). Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589); Kirk Gibson struck out more than walked (1,285 to 718). On the bases, Kirk Gibson stole more often per game played (314 steals in 2,627 games for Andre Dawson, 284 in 1,635 for Kirk Gibson). Andre Dawson's slugging percentage of .482 tops Kirk Gibson's .463.
Andre Dawson vs Kirk Gibson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Andre Dawson or Kirk Gibson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Andre Dawson leads Kirk Gibson in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Andre Dawson or Kirk Gibson hit more home runs?
- Andre Dawson, with 438 to Kirk Gibson's 255.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Kirk Gibson, with .815 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Andre Dawson, with .279 to Kirk Gibson's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Kirk Gibson's 1,553.