Mike Donlin vs John McGraw: Career Stats Comparison
John McGraw 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). Mike Donlin played 1899–1914 as a hitter; John McGraw played 1891–1907 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
Mike Donlin (1899–1914) and John McGraw (1891–1907) — both broke in during the 1890s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Mike Donlin finished with 1,282 hits and 51 home runs; John McGraw finished with 1,309 hits and 13 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Donlin, with 51 to John McGraw's 13.
- Who had the higher OPS? John McGraw, with .876 to Mike Donlin's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average? John McGraw, with .334 to Mike Donlin's .333.
- Who had more hits? John McGraw, with 1,309 to Mike Donlin's 1,282.
- Who drove in more runs? Mike Donlin, with 543 to John McGraw's 462.
- Who has the higher career PIV? John McGraw, with 22,730 career PIV to Mike Donlin's 20,363.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Mike Donlin
John McGraw
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mike Donlin and John McGraw. 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 | Mike Donlin | John McGraw |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,049 | Leads: 1,100 |
| At-Bats | 3,854 | Leads: 3,924 |
| Runs | 669 | Leads: 1,024 |
| Hits | 1,282 | Leads: 1,309 |
| Doubles | Leads: 176 | 121 |
| Triples | Leads: 97 | 70 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 51 | 13 |
| RBI | Leads: 543 | 462 |
| Walks | 312 | Leads: 836 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 311 | 155 |
| Stolen Bases | 213 | Leads: 436 |
| Batting Avg | .333 | Leads: .334 |
| On-Base % | .386 | Leads: .466 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .468 | .410 |
| OPS | .854 | Leads: .876 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John McGraw leads Mike Donlin 22,730 to 20,363 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: John McGraw played 18 seasons to Mike Donlin's 14, while Mike Donlin carries the higher per-season figure (1,454 to 1,263). 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).
Mike Donlin — top 3 seasons by OPS
John McGraw — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John McGraw leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Mike Donlin owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John McGraw. PIV agrees: John McGraw grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mike Donlin and John McGraw careers compare
From 1899 through 1907, Mike Donlin and John McGraw were in the majors together. With 1,049 games against 1,100 across 14 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Mike Donlin walked more often than struck out (312 walks, 311 strikeouts); John McGraw walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 155 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mike Donlin's hits: 51 of 1,282 for Mike Donlin, 13 of 1,309 for John McGraw. On the bases, John McGraw stole more often per game played (213 steals in 1,049 games for Mike Donlin, 436 in 1,100 for John McGraw). Mike Donlin's slugging percentage of .468 tops John McGraw's .410.
Mike Donlin vs John McGraw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mike Donlin or John McGraw?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John McGraw leads Mike Donlin in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mike Donlin or John McGraw hit more home runs?
- Mike Donlin, with 51 to John McGraw's 13.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- John McGraw, with .876 to Mike Donlin's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- John McGraw, with .334 to Mike Donlin's .333.
- Who had more hits?
- John McGraw, with 1,309 to Mike Donlin's 1,282.