Joe DiMaggio vs Ernie Lombardi: Career Stats Comparison
Joe DiMaggio has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; Ernie Lombardi 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 Ernie Lombardi (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; Ernie Lombardi finished with 1,792 hits and 190 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 Ernie Lombardi's 190.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Ernie Lombardi's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Ernie Lombardi's .306.
- Who had more hits? Joe DiMaggio, with 2,214 to Ernie Lombardi's 1,792.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe DiMaggio, with 1,537 to Ernie Lombardi's 990.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe DiMaggio, with 47,427 career PIV to Ernie Lombardi's 15,583.
- Who won more championships? Joe DiMaggio, with 9 World Series titles to Ernie Lombardi's 1.
Joe DiMaggio
Ernie Lombardi
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe DiMaggio and Ernie Lombardi. 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 | Ernie Lombardi |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,736 | Leads: 1,853 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,821 | 5,855 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,390 | 601 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,214 | 1,792 |
| Doubles | Leads: 389 | 277 |
| Triples | Leads: 131 | 27 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 361 | 190 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,537 | 990 |
| Walks | Leads: 790 | 430 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 369 | 262 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 30 | 8 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .306 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .398 | .358 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .579 | .460 |
| OPS | Leads: .977 | .818 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe DiMaggio outpaces Ernie Lombardi 47,427 to 15,583 — driven by per-season impact — 3,648 PIV per season to 917 — rather than by longevity, since Joe DiMaggio played 13 seasons to Ernie Lombardi'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
Ernie Lombardi — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe DiMaggio leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ernie Lombardi 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 Ernie Lombardi careers compare
The careers of Joe DiMaggio (1936–1951) and Ernie Lombardi (1931–1947) overlapped from 1936 to 1947, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,736 games against 1,853 across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Ernie Lombardi comes out ahead, it is in games (1,853 to 1,736). Joe DiMaggio walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 369 strikeouts); Ernie Lombardi walked more often than struck out (430 walks, 262 strikeouts). Joe DiMaggio is the more power-leaning hitter, with 361 of 2,214 hits leaving the park.
Joe DiMaggio vs Ernie Lombardi: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe DiMaggio or Ernie Lombardi?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe DiMaggio leads Ernie Lombardi in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe DiMaggio or Ernie Lombardi hit more home runs?
- Joe DiMaggio, with 361 to Ernie Lombardi's 190.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Ernie Lombardi's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Ernie Lombardi's .306.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe DiMaggio, with 2,214 to Ernie Lombardi's 1,792.