Bobby Doerr vs Bob Elliott: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Elliott 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). Bobby Doerr played 1937–1951 as a hitter; Bob Elliott played 1939–1953 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
Bobby Doerr (1937–1951) and Bob Elliott (1939–1953) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Bobby Doerr finished with 2,042 hits and 223 home runs; Bob Elliott finished with 2,061 hits and 170 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Bobby Doerr, with 223 to Bob Elliott's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Doerr, with .823 to Bob Elliott's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bob Elliott, with .289 to Bobby Doerr's .288.
- Who had more hits? Bob Elliott, with 2,061 to Bobby Doerr's 2,042.
- Who drove in more runs? Bobby Doerr, with 1,247 to Bob Elliott's 1,195.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bob Elliott, with 22,824 career PIV to Bobby Doerr's 21,613.
Bobby Doerr
Bob Elliott
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Doerr and Bob Elliott. 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 | Bobby Doerr | Bob Elliott |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,865 | Leads: 1,978 |
| At-Bats | 7,093 | Leads: 7,141 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,094 | 1,064 |
| Hits | 2,042 | Leads: 2,061 |
| Doubles | 381 | Leads: 382 |
| Triples | 89 | Leads: 94 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 223 | 170 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,247 | 1,195 |
| Walks | 809 | Leads: 967 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 608 | 604 |
| Stolen Bases | 54 | Leads: 60 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .289 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .461 | .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .823 | .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Elliott edges Bobby Doerr 22,824 to 21,613 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Bob Elliott played 16 seasons to Bobby Doerr's 14, while Bobby Doerr carries the higher per-season figure (1,544 to 1,427). 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).
Bobby Doerr — top 3 seasons by OPS
Bob Elliott — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Elliott leads in hits, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Bobby Doerr owns home runs, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Elliott. PIV agrees: Bob Elliott grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bobby Doerr and Bob Elliott careers compare
The careers of Bobby Doerr (1937–1951) and Bob Elliott (1939–1953) overlapped from 1939 to 1951, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,865 games for Bobby Doerr and 1,978 for Bob Elliott across 14 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Bobby Doerr walked more often than struck out (809 walks, 608 strikeouts); Bob Elliott walked more often than struck out (967 walks, 604 strikeouts). Bobby Doerr is the more power-leaning hitter, with 223 of 2,042 hits leaving the park. Bob Elliott's on-base percentage of .375 tops Bobby Doerr's .362.
Bobby Doerr vs Bob Elliott: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Doerr or Bob Elliott?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Elliott leads Bobby Doerr in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Doerr or Bob Elliott hit more home runs?
- Bobby Doerr, with 223 to Bob Elliott's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Doerr, with .823 to Bob Elliott's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bob Elliott, with .289 to Bobby Doerr's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Bob Elliott, with 2,061 to Bobby Doerr's 2,042.