Buck Ewing vs Ernie Lombardi: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Lombardi has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Buck Ewing played 1880–1897 as a hitter; Ernie Lombardi 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
Buck Ewing (1880–1897) and Ernie Lombardi (1931–1947) — they broke in during the 1880s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Buck Ewing finished with 1,625 hits and 71 home runs; Ernie Lombardi finished with 1,792 hits and 190 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Buck Ewing's 71.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ernie Lombardi, with .818 to Buck Ewing's .807.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ernie Lombardi, with .306 to Buck Ewing's .303.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Lombardi, with 1,792 to Buck Ewing's 1,625.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Lombardi, with 990 to Buck Ewing's 883.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Buck Ewing, with 17,919 career PIV to Ernie Lombardi's 15,583.
- Who won more championships? Buck Ewing, with 2 World Series titles to Ernie Lombardi's 1.
Ernie Lombardi
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Buck Ewing and Ernie Lombardi. 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 1880s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Buck Ewing | Ernie Lombardi |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,315 | Leads: 1,853 |
| At-Bats | 5,363 | Leads: 5,855 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,129 | 601 |
| Hits | 1,625 | Leads: 1,792 |
| Doubles | 250 | Leads: 277 |
| Triples | Leads: 178 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 71 | Leads: 190 |
| RBI | 883 | Leads: 990 |
| Walks | 392 | Leads: 430 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 294 | 262 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 354 | 8 |
| Batting Avg | .303 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | .351 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | .456 | Leads: .460 |
| OPS | .807 | Leads: .818 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Buck Ewing leads Ernie Lombardi 17,919 to 15,583 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 995 PIV per season to 917, across 18 seasons to 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).
Buck Ewing — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ernie Lombardi — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Lombardi leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Buck Ewing owns runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ernie Lombardi. Note that PIV actually grades Buck Ewing ahead, which means Ernie Lombardi's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Buck Ewing and Ernie Lombardi careers compare
No season is shared: Buck Ewing played 1880–1897, Ernie Lombardi 1931–1947. With 1,315 games against 1,853 across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Buck Ewing comes out ahead, it is in runs (1,129 to 601), triples (178 to 27), and stolen bases (354 to 8). At the plate, Buck Ewing walked more often than struck out (392 walks, 294 strikeouts), and Ernie Lombardi walked more often than struck out (430 walks, 262 strikeouts). Ernie Lombardi is the more power-leaning hitter, with 190 of 1,792 hits leaving the park. Buck Ewing was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Buck Ewing vs Ernie Lombardi: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Buck Ewing or Ernie Lombardi?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Lombardi leads Buck Ewing in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Buck Ewing or Ernie Lombardi hit more home runs?
- Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Buck Ewing's 71.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ernie Lombardi, with .818 to Buck Ewing's .807.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ernie Lombardi, with .306 to Buck Ewing's .303.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Lombardi, with 1,792 to Buck Ewing's 1,625.