Larry Doby vs Al Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Al Simmons 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). Larry Doby played 1947–1959 as a hitter; Al Simmons played 1924–1944 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 Al Simmons (1924–1944) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Larry Doby finished with 1,697 hits and 273 home runs; Al Simmons finished with 2,927 hits and 307 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Al Simmons, with 307 to Larry Doby's 273.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Simmons, with .915 to Larry Doby's .888.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Simmons, with .334 to Larry Doby's .288.
- Who had more hits? Al Simmons, with 2,927 to Larry Doby's 1,697.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Simmons, with 1,827 to Larry Doby's 1,093.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Simmons, with 40,529 career PIV to Larry Doby's 28,857.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Larry Doby
Al Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Larry Doby and Al Simmons. 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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Larry Doby | Al Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,674 | Leads: 2,215 |
| At-Bats | 5,883 | Leads: 8,759 |
| Runs | 1,080 | Leads: 1,507 |
| Hits | 1,697 | Leads: 2,927 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 539 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 149 |
| Home Runs | 273 | Leads: 307 |
| RBI | 1,093 | Leads: 1,827 |
| Walks | Leads: 945 | 615 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,012 | 737 |
| Stolen Bases | 64 | Leads: 88 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .334 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .389 | .380 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .535 |
| OPS | .888 | Leads: .915 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Simmons outpaces Larry Doby 40,529 to 28,857 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,930 PIV per season to 1,519, across 21 seasons to 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).
Larry Doby — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Simmons leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Larry Doby owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Simmons. PIV agrees: Al Simmons 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 Al Simmons careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Al Simmons's ended in 1944, and Larry Doby debuted in 1947. With 1,674 games against 2,215 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Larry Doby comes out ahead, it is in walks (945 to 615) and on-base percentage (.389 to .380). Larry Doby struck out more than walked (1,012 to 945); Al Simmons struck out more than walked (737 to 615). Larry Doby is the more power-leaning hitter, with 273 of 1,697 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Al Simmons holds the edge, .535 to .499.
Larry Doby vs Al Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Larry Doby or Al Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Simmons leads Larry Doby in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Larry Doby or Al Simmons hit more home runs?
- Al Simmons, with 307 to Larry Doby's 273.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Simmons, with .915 to Larry Doby's .888.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Simmons, with .334 to Larry Doby's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Simmons, with 2,927 to Larry Doby's 1,697.