Joe DiMaggio vs Rick Ferrell: Career Stats Comparison
Joe DiMaggio has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Joe DiMaggio played 1936–1951 as a hitter; Rick Ferrell played 1929–1947 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
Joe DiMaggio (1936–1951) and Rick Ferrell (1929–1947) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Joe DiMaggio finished with 2,214 hits and 361 home runs; Rick Ferrell finished with 1,692 hits and 28 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Joe DiMaggio, with 361 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits? Joe DiMaggio, with 2,214 to Rick Ferrell's 1,692.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe DiMaggio, with 1,537 to Rick Ferrell's 734.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe DiMaggio, with 47,427 career PIV to Rick Ferrell's 6,474.
- Who won more championships? Joe DiMaggio, with 9 World Series titles to Rick Ferrell's 0.
Joe DiMaggio
Rick Ferrell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe DiMaggio and Rick Ferrell. 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 1930s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe DiMaggio | Rick Ferrell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,736 | Leads: 1,884 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,821 | 6,028 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,390 | 687 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,214 | 1,692 |
| Doubles | Leads: 389 | 324 |
| Triples | Leads: 131 | 45 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 361 | 28 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,537 | 734 |
| Walks | 790 | Leads: 931 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 369 | 277 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 30 | 29 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .281 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .398 | .378 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .579 | .363 |
| OPS | Leads: .977 | .741 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe DiMaggio outpaces Rick Ferrell 47,427 to 6,474 — driven by per-season impact — 3,648 PIV per season to 308 — rather than by longevity, since Joe DiMaggio played 13 seasons to Rick Ferrell'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).
Joe DiMaggio — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rick Ferrell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe DiMaggio leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Rick Ferrell owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe DiMaggio. PIV agrees: Joe DiMaggio grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe DiMaggio and Rick Ferrell careers compare
From 1936 through 1947, Joe DiMaggio and Rick Ferrell were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,736 games for Joe DiMaggio and 1,884 for Rick Ferrell across 13 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Rick Ferrell comes out ahead, it is in games (1,884 to 1,736) and walks (931 to 790). Joe DiMaggio walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 369 strikeouts); Rick Ferrell walked more often than struck out (931 walks, 277 strikeouts). Joe DiMaggio is the more power-leaning hitter, with 361 of 2,214 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Joe DiMaggio holds the edge, .579 to .363.
Joe DiMaggio vs Rick Ferrell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe DiMaggio or Rick Ferrell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe DiMaggio leads Rick Ferrell in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe DiMaggio or Rick Ferrell hit more home runs?
- Joe DiMaggio, with 361 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe DiMaggio, with 2,214 to Rick Ferrell's 1,692.