Andre Dawson vs Mel Ott: Career Stats Comparison
Mel Ott 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). Andre Dawson played 1976–1996 as a hitter; Mel Ott played 1926–1947 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 Mel Ott (1926–1947) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Andre Dawson finished with 2,774 hits and 438 home runs; Mel Ott finished with 2,876 hits and 511 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mel Ott, with 511 to Andre Dawson's 438.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mel Ott, with .947 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mel Ott, with .304 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Andre Dawson's 2,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Mel Ott, with 1,860 to Andre Dawson's 1,591.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mel Ott, with 64,873 career PIV to Andre Dawson's 20,948.
- Who won more championships? Mel Ott, with 1 World Series title to Andre Dawson's 0.
Andre Dawson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Andre Dawson and Mel Ott. 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, and the 1970s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Andre Dawson | Mel Ott |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,627 | Leads: 2,730 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,927 | 9,456 |
| Runs | 1,373 | Leads: 1,859 |
| Hits | 2,774 | Leads: 2,876 |
| Doubles | Leads: 503 | 488 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 438 | Leads: 511 |
| RBI | 1,591 | Leads: 1,860 |
| Walks | 589 | Leads: 1,708 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,509 | 896 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 314 | 89 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .304 |
| On-Base % | .323 | Leads: .414 |
| Slugging % | .482 | Leads: .533 |
| OPS | .806 | Leads: .947 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mel Ott outpaces Andre Dawson 64,873 to 20,948 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,949 PIV per season to 998, across 22 seasons to 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).
Andre Dawson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mel Ott — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mel Ott leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Andre Dawson owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mel Ott. PIV agrees: Mel Ott 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 Mel Ott careers compare
Mel Ott (1926–1947) was finished before Andre Dawson (1976–1996) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,627 games against 2,730 across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Andre Dawson's edges on the table are at-bats (9,927 to 9,456), doubles (503 to 488), and triples (98 to 72). Plate discipline differs: Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589), but Mel Ott walked more often than struck out (1,708 walks, 896 strikeouts). On the bases, Andre Dawson stole more often per game played (314 steals in 2,627 games for Andre Dawson, 89 in 2,730 for Mel Ott).
Andre Dawson vs Mel Ott: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Andre Dawson or Mel Ott?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mel Ott leads Andre Dawson in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Andre Dawson or Mel Ott hit more home runs?
- Mel Ott, with 511 to Andre Dawson's 438.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mel Ott, with .947 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mel Ott, with .304 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Andre Dawson's 2,774.