Larry Doby vs Bill Nicholson: Career Stats Comparison
Larry Doby 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). Larry Doby played 1947–1959 as a hitter; Bill Nicholson played 1936–1953 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
Larry Doby (1947–1959) and Bill Nicholson (1936–1953) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Larry Doby finished with 1,697 hits and 273 home runs; Bill Nicholson finished with 1,484 hits and 235 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Larry Doby, with 273 to Bill Nicholson's 235.
- Who had the higher OPS? Larry Doby, with .888 to Bill Nicholson's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Larry Doby, with .288 to Bill Nicholson's .268.
- Who had more hits? Larry Doby, with 1,697 to Bill Nicholson's 1,484.
- Who drove in more runs? Larry Doby, with 1,093 to Bill Nicholson's 948.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Larry Doby, with 28,857 career PIV to Bill Nicholson's 21,540.
- Who won more championships? Larry Doby, with 2 World Series titles to Bill Nicholson's 0.
Larry Doby
Bill Nicholson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Larry Doby and Bill Nicholson. 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 1940s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Larry Doby | Bill Nicholson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,674 | Leads: 1,677 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,883 | 5,546 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,080 | 837 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,697 | 1,484 |
| Doubles | Leads: 277 | 272 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 60 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 273 | 235 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,093 | 948 |
| Walks | Leads: 945 | 800 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,012 | 828 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 64 | 27 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .268 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .389 | .365 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .499 | .465 |
| OPS | Leads: .888 | .830 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Larry Doby outpaces Bill Nicholson 28,857 to 21,540 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,519 PIV per season to 1,346, across 19 seasons to 16. 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).
Larry Doby — top 3 seasons by OPS
Bill Nicholson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Larry Doby leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bill Nicholson owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Larry Doby. PIV agrees: Larry Doby grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Larry Doby and Bill Nicholson careers compare
Larry Doby and Bill Nicholson were active at the same time between 1947 and 1953. With 1,674 games against 1,677 across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Bill Nicholson are games (1,677 to 1,674). Larry Doby struck out more than walked (1,012 to 945); Bill Nicholson struck out more than walked (828 to 800). Larry Doby's slugging percentage of .499 tops Bill Nicholson's .465. On the peak-season lists, Larry Doby's best year is 1950 at .986 OPS and Bill Nicholson's is 1944 at .935 OPS; Larry Doby has the stronger single season.
Larry Doby vs Bill Nicholson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Larry Doby or Bill Nicholson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Larry Doby leads Bill Nicholson in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Larry Doby or Bill Nicholson hit more home runs?
- Larry Doby, with 273 to Bill Nicholson's 235.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Larry Doby, with .888 to Bill Nicholson's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Larry Doby, with .288 to Bill Nicholson's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Larry Doby, with 1,697 to Bill Nicholson's 1,484.