Bobby Doerr vs Hank Greenberg: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Greenberg has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 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 Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) — 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; Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Bobby Doerr's 223.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Bobby Doerr's .823.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Bobby Doerr's .288.
- Who had more hits? Bobby Doerr, with 2,042 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Greenberg, with 1,276 to Bobby Doerr's 1,247.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Greenberg, with 43,523 career PIV to Bobby Doerr's 21,613.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Bobby Doerr's 0.
Bobby Doerr
Hank Greenberg
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Doerr and Hank Greenberg. 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 | Hank Greenberg |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,865 | 1,394 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,093 | 5,193 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,094 | 1,051 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,042 | 1,628 |
| Doubles | Leads: 381 | 379 |
| Triples | Leads: 89 | 71 |
| Home Runs | 223 | Leads: 331 |
| RBI | 1,247 | Leads: 1,276 |
| Walks | 809 | Leads: 852 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 608 | 844 |
| Stolen Bases | 54 | Leads: 58 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .412 |
| Slugging % | .461 | Leads: .605 |
| OPS | .823 | Leads: 1.017 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Greenberg outpaces Bobby Doerr 43,523 to 21,613 — driven by per-season impact — 3,348 PIV per season to 1,544 — rather than by longevity, since Hank Greenberg played 13 seasons to Bobby Doerr's 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
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Greenberg leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and batting average, while Bobby Doerr owns hits and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Greenberg. PIV agrees: Hank Greenberg 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 Hank Greenberg careers compare
Bobby Doerr and Hank Greenberg were active at the same time between 1937 and 1947. The two careers are close in length, 1,865 games for Bobby Doerr and 1,394 for Hank Greenberg across 14 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Bobby Doerr walked more often than struck out (809 walks, 608 strikeouts); Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts). Hank Greenberg is the more power-leaning hitter, with 331 of 1,628 hits leaving the park. Hank Greenberg owns the better peak by OPS: .927 OPS in 1944 for Bobby Doerr against 1.122 OPS in 1938 for Hank Greenberg.
Bobby Doerr vs Hank Greenberg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Doerr or Hank Greenberg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Greenberg leads Bobby Doerr in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Doerr or Hank Greenberg hit more home runs?
- Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Bobby Doerr's 223.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Bobby Doerr's .823.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Bobby Doerr's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Bobby Doerr, with 2,042 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.