Bobby Doerr vs Jim Gilliam: Career Stats Comparison
Bobby Doerr 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; Jim Gilliam played 1953–1966 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 Jim Gilliam (1953–1966) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bobby Doerr finished with 2,042 hits and 223 home runs; Jim Gilliam finished with 2,021 hits and 65 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 Jim Gilliam's 65.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Doerr, with .823 to Jim Gilliam's .715.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bobby Doerr, with .288 to Jim Gilliam's .266.
- Who had more hits? Bobby Doerr, with 2,042 to Jim Gilliam's 2,021.
- Who drove in more runs? Bobby Doerr, with 1,247 to Jim Gilliam's 624.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bobby Doerr, with 21,613 career PIV to Jim Gilliam's 4,555.
- Who won more championships? Jim Gilliam, with 4 World Series titles to Bobby Doerr's 0.
Bobby Doerr
Jim Gilliam
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Doerr and Jim Gilliam. 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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Doerr | Jim Gilliam |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,865 | Leads: 2,094 |
| At-Bats | 7,093 | Leads: 7,600 |
| Runs | 1,094 | Leads: 1,255 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,042 | 2,021 |
| Doubles | Leads: 381 | 325 |
| Triples | Leads: 89 | 80 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 223 | 65 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,247 | 624 |
| Walks | 809 | Leads: 1,102 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 608 | 416 |
| Stolen Bases | 54 | Leads: 219 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .266 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .362 | .360 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .461 | .355 |
| OPS | Leads: .823 | .715 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Doerr outpaces Jim Gilliam 21,613 to 4,555 — driven by per-season impact — 1,544 PIV per season to 268 — rather than by longevity, since Bobby Doerr played 14 seasons to Jim Gilliam'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).
Bobby Doerr — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Gilliam — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bobby Doerr leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Jim Gilliam owns runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bobby Doerr. PIV agrees: Bobby Doerr 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 Jim Gilliam careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Bobby Doerr's ended in 1951, and Jim Gilliam debuted in 1953. The two careers are close in length, 1,865 games for Bobby Doerr and 2,094 for Jim Gilliam across 14 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Bobby Doerr walked more often than struck out (809 walks, 608 strikeouts), and Jim Gilliam walked more often than struck out (1,102 walks, 416 strikeouts). Bobby Doerr is the more power-leaning hitter, with 223 of 2,042 hits leaving the park. Jim Gilliam was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Bobby Doerr's slugging percentage of .461 tops Jim Gilliam's .355.
Bobby Doerr vs Jim Gilliam: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Doerr or Jim Gilliam?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bobby Doerr leads Jim Gilliam in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Doerr or Jim Gilliam hit more home runs?
- Bobby Doerr, with 223 to Jim Gilliam's 65.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Doerr, with .823 to Jim Gilliam's .715.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bobby Doerr, with .288 to Jim Gilliam's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Bobby Doerr, with 2,042 to Jim Gilliam's 2,021.