Bob Elliott vs Billy Herman: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Elliott 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). Bob Elliott played 1939–1953 as a hitter; Billy Herman played 1931–1947 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
Bob Elliott (1939–1953) and Billy Herman (1931–1947) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Bob Elliott finished with 2,061 hits and 170 home runs; Billy Herman finished with 2,345 hits and 47 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Bob Elliott, with 170 to Billy Herman's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bob Elliott, with .815 to Billy Herman's .774.
- Who had the higher batting average? Billy Herman, with .304 to Bob Elliott's .289.
- Who had more hits? Billy Herman, with 2,345 to Bob Elliott's 2,061.
- Who drove in more runs? Bob Elliott, with 1,195 to Billy Herman's 839.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bob Elliott, with 22,824 career PIV to Billy Herman's 12,844.
Bob Elliott
Billy Herman
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bob Elliott and Billy Herman. 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 | Bob Elliott | Billy Herman |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,978 | 1,922 |
| At-Bats | 7,141 | Leads: 7,707 |
| Runs | 1,064 | Leads: 1,163 |
| Hits | 2,061 | Leads: 2,345 |
| Doubles | 382 | Leads: 486 |
| Triples | Leads: 94 | 82 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 170 | 47 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,195 | 839 |
| Walks | Leads: 967 | 737 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 604 | 428 |
| Stolen Bases | 60 | Leads: 67 |
| Batting Avg | .289 | Leads: .304 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .375 | .367 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .440 | .407 |
| OPS | Leads: .815 | .774 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Elliott outpaces Billy Herman 22,824 to 12,844 — driven by per-season impact — 1,427 PIV per season to 756 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Elliott played 16 seasons to Billy Herman'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).
Bob Elliott — top 3 seasons by OPS
Billy Herman — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Elliott leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Billy Herman owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Elliott. PIV agrees: Bob Elliott grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Elliott and Billy Herman careers compare
From 1939 through 1947, Bob Elliott and Billy Herman were in the majors together. With 1,978 games against 1,922 across 16 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Bob Elliott walked more often than struck out (967 walks, 604 strikeouts), and Billy Herman walked more often than struck out (737 walks, 428 strikeouts). Bob Elliott is the more power-leaning hitter, with 170 of 2,061 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Bob Elliott holds the edge, .375 to .367. Bob Elliott owns the better peak by OPS: .927 OPS in 1947 for Bob Elliott against .875 OPS in 1937 for Billy Herman.
Bob Elliott vs Billy Herman: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Elliott or Billy Herman?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Elliott leads Billy Herman in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bob Elliott or Billy Herman hit more home runs?
- Bob Elliott, with 170 to Billy Herman's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bob Elliott, with .815 to Billy Herman's .774.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Billy Herman, with .304 to Bob Elliott's .289.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Herman, with 2,345 to Bob Elliott's 2,061.