Joe DiMaggio vs Billy Herman: Career Stats Comparison
Joe DiMaggio has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Billy Herman played 1931–1947 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 Billy Herman (1931–1947) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Joe DiMaggio finished with 2,214 hits and 361 home runs; Billy Herman finished with 2,345 hits and 47 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 Billy Herman's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Billy Herman's .774.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Billy Herman's .304.
- Who had more hits? Billy Herman, with 2,345 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe DiMaggio, with 1,537 to Billy Herman's 839.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe DiMaggio, with 47,427 career PIV to Billy Herman's 12,844.
- Who won more championships? Joe DiMaggio, with 9 World Series titles to Billy Herman's 0.
Joe DiMaggio
Billy Herman
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe DiMaggio and Billy Herman. 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 | Joe DiMaggio | Billy Herman |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,736 | Leads: 1,922 |
| At-Bats | 6,821 | Leads: 7,707 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,390 | 1,163 |
| Hits | 2,214 | Leads: 2,345 |
| Doubles | 389 | Leads: 486 |
| Triples | Leads: 131 | 82 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 361 | 47 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,537 | 839 |
| Walks | Leads: 790 | 737 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 369 | 428 |
| Stolen Bases | 30 | Leads: 67 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .304 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .398 | .367 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .579 | .407 |
| OPS | Leads: .977 | .774 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe DiMaggio outpaces Billy Herman 47,427 to 12,844 — driven by per-season impact — 3,648 PIV per season to 756 — rather than by longevity, since Joe DiMaggio played 13 seasons to Billy Herman's 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).
Joe DiMaggio — top 3 seasons by OPS
Billy Herman — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe DiMaggio leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Billy Herman 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 Billy Herman careers compare
From 1936 through 1947, Joe DiMaggio and Billy Herman were in the majors together. With 1,736 games against 1,922 across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Joe DiMaggio walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 369 strikeouts), and Billy Herman walked more often than struck out (737 walks, 428 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Joe DiMaggio's hits: 361 of 2,214 for Joe DiMaggio, 47 of 2,345 for Billy Herman. Joe DiMaggio's on-base percentage of .398 tops Billy Herman's .367.
Joe DiMaggio vs Billy Herman: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe DiMaggio or Billy Herman?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe DiMaggio leads Billy Herman in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe DiMaggio or Billy Herman hit more home runs?
- Joe DiMaggio, with 361 to Billy Herman's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Billy Herman's .774.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Billy Herman's .304.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Herman, with 2,345 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.