Joe DiMaggio vs Nellie Fox: Career Stats Comparison
Joe DiMaggio 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). Joe DiMaggio played 1936–1951 as a hitter; Nellie Fox played 1947–1965 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 Nellie Fox (1947–1965) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Joe DiMaggio finished with 2,214 hits and 361 home runs; Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 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 Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe DiMaggio, with 1,537 to Nellie Fox's 790.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe DiMaggio, with 47,427 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
- Who won more championships? Joe DiMaggio, with 9 World Series titles to Nellie Fox's 0.
Joe DiMaggio
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe DiMaggio and Nellie Fox. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe DiMaggio | Nellie Fox |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,736 | Leads: 2,367 |
| At-Bats | 6,821 | Leads: 9,232 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,390 | 1,279 |
| Hits | 2,214 | Leads: 2,663 |
| Doubles | Leads: 389 | 355 |
| Triples | Leads: 131 | 112 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 361 | 35 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,537 | 790 |
| Walks | Leads: 790 | 719 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 369 | 216 |
| Stolen Bases | 30 | Leads: 76 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .398 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .579 | .363 |
| OPS | Leads: .977 | .710 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe DiMaggio outpaces Nellie Fox 47,427 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 3,648 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Joe DiMaggio played 13 seasons to Nellie Fox's 19. 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
Nellie Fox — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe DiMaggio leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Nellie Fox owns hits and stolen bases. 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 Nellie Fox careers compare
The careers of Joe DiMaggio (1936–1951) and Nellie Fox (1947–1965) overlapped from 1947 to 1951, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,736 games against 2,367 across 13 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Nellie Fox comes out ahead, it is in games (2,367 to 1,736), at-bats (9,232 to 6,821), and hits (2,663 to 2,214). At the plate, Joe DiMaggio walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 369 strikeouts), and Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts). Joe DiMaggio is the more power-leaning hitter, with 361 of 2,214 hits leaving the park.
Joe DiMaggio vs Nellie Fox: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe DiMaggio or Nellie Fox?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe DiMaggio leads Nellie Fox in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe DiMaggio or Nellie Fox hit more home runs?
- Joe DiMaggio, with 361 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.