Bobby Doerr vs Gil Hodges: Career Stats Comparison
Gil Hodges 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; Gil Hodges played 1943–1963 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 Gil Hodges (1943–1963) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bobby Doerr finished with 2,042 hits and 223 home runs; Gil Hodges finished with 1,921 hits and 370 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Gil Hodges, with 370 to Bobby Doerr's 223.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gil Hodges, with .846 to Bobby Doerr's .823.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bobby Doerr, with .288 to Gil Hodges's .273.
- Who had more hits? Bobby Doerr, with 2,042 to Gil Hodges's 1,921.
- Who drove in more runs? Gil Hodges, with 1,274 to Bobby Doerr's 1,247.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Gil Hodges, with 24,928 career PIV to Bobby Doerr's 21,613.
- Who won more championships? Gil Hodges, with 2 World Series titles to Bobby Doerr's 0.
Bobby Doerr
Gil Hodges
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Doerr and Gil Hodges. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Doerr | Gil Hodges |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,865 | Leads: 2,071 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,093 | 7,030 |
| Runs | 1,094 | Leads: 1,105 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,042 | 1,921 |
| Doubles | Leads: 381 | 295 |
| Triples | Leads: 89 | 48 |
| Home Runs | 223 | Leads: 370 |
| RBI | 1,247 | Leads: 1,274 |
| Walks | 809 | Leads: 943 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 608 | 1,137 |
| Stolen Bases | 54 | Leads: 63 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .362 | .359 |
| Slugging % | .461 | Leads: .487 |
| OPS | .823 | Leads: .846 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gil Hodges leads Bobby Doerr 24,928 to 21,613 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Gil Hodges played 18 seasons to Bobby Doerr's 14, while Bobby Doerr carries the higher per-season figure (1,544 to 1,385). 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
Gil Hodges — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gil Hodges leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Bobby Doerr owns hits, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gil Hodges. PIV agrees: Gil Hodges 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 Gil Hodges careers compare
The careers of Bobby Doerr (1937–1951) and Gil Hodges (1943–1963) overlapped from 1943 to 1951, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,865 games against 2,071 across 14 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Bobby Doerr walked more often than struck out (809 walks, 608 strikeouts), but Gil Hodges struck out more than walked (1,137 to 943). Gil Hodges is the more power-leaning hitter, with 370 of 1,921 hits leaving the park. Best seasons: 1944 for Bobby Doerr (.927 OPS, 15 HR, 81 RBI, .325 avg) and 1954 for Gil Hodges (.952 OPS, 42 HR, 130 RBI, .304 avg).
Bobby Doerr vs Gil Hodges: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Doerr or Gil Hodges?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gil Hodges leads Bobby Doerr in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Doerr or Gil Hodges hit more home runs?
- Gil Hodges, with 370 to Bobby Doerr's 223.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gil Hodges, with .846 to Bobby Doerr's .823.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bobby Doerr, with .288 to Gil Hodges's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Bobby Doerr, with 2,042 to Gil Hodges's 1,921.