Bobby Doerr vs Lou Gehrig: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 14 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; Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 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 Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bobby Doerr finished with 2,042 hits and 223 home runs; Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Bobby Doerr's 223.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Bobby Doerr's .823.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Bobby Doerr's .288.
- Who had more hits? Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Bobby Doerr's 2,042.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Bobby Doerr's 1,247.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Bobby Doerr's 21,613.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Bobby Doerr's 0.
Bobby Doerr
Lou Gehrig
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Doerr and Lou Gehrig. 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 1930s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Doerr | Lou Gehrig |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,865 | Leads: 2,164 |
| At-Bats | 7,093 | Leads: 8,001 |
| Runs | 1,094 | Leads: 1,888 |
| Hits | 2,042 | Leads: 2,721 |
| Doubles | 381 | Leads: 534 |
| Triples | 89 | Leads: 163 |
| Home Runs | 223 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,247 | Leads: 1,995 |
| Walks | 809 | Leads: 1,508 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 608 | 790 |
| Stolen Bases | 54 | Leads: 102 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .447 |
| Slugging % | .461 | Leads: .632 |
| OPS | .823 | Leads: 1.080 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Bobby Doerr 81,072 to 21,613 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,769 PIV per season to 1,544, across 17 seasons to 14. 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
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bobby Doerr owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Gehrig. PIV agrees: Lou Gehrig 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 Lou Gehrig careers compare
From 1937 through 1939, Bobby Doerr and Lou Gehrig were in the majors together. With 1,865 games against 2,164 across 14 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Lou Gehrig leads every scored row of the table. Bobby Doerr walked more often than struck out (809 walks, 608 strikeouts); Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts). Lou Gehrig is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,721 hits leaving the park. Lou Gehrig was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Lou Gehrig holds the edge, .632 to .461.
Bobby Doerr vs Lou Gehrig: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Doerr or Lou Gehrig?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Bobby Doerr in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Doerr or Lou Gehrig hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Bobby Doerr's 223.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Bobby Doerr's .823.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Bobby Doerr's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Bobby Doerr's 2,042.