Buck Ewing vs Mike Tiernan: Career Stats Comparison
Mike Tiernan has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Mike Tiernan played 1887–1899 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 Mike Tiernan (1887–1899) — both broke in during the 1880s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Buck Ewing finished with 1,625 hits and 71 home runs; Mike Tiernan finished with 1,838 hits and 106 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Tiernan, with 106 to Buck Ewing's 71.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mike Tiernan, with .855 to Buck Ewing's .807.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mike Tiernan, with .311 to Buck Ewing's .303.
- Who had more hits? Mike Tiernan, with 1,838 to Buck Ewing's 1,625.
- Who drove in more runs? Buck Ewing, with 883 to Mike Tiernan's 853.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mike Tiernan, with 24,956 career PIV to Buck Ewing's 17,919.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Mike Tiernan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Buck Ewing and Mike Tiernan. 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 | Buck Ewing | Mike Tiernan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,315 | Leads: 1,478 |
| At-Bats | 5,363 | Leads: 5,915 |
| Runs | 1,129 | Leads: 1,316 |
| Hits | 1,625 | Leads: 1,838 |
| Doubles | 250 | Leads: 257 |
| Triples | Leads: 178 | 162 |
| Home Runs | 71 | Leads: 106 |
| RBI | Leads: 883 | 853 |
| Walks | 392 | Leads: 748 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 294 | 376 |
| Stolen Bases | 354 | Leads: 428 |
| Batting Avg | .303 | Leads: .311 |
| On-Base % | .351 | Leads: .392 |
| Slugging % | .456 | Leads: .463 |
| OPS | .807 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Tiernan outpaces Buck Ewing 24,956 to 17,919 — driven by per-season impact — 1,920 PIV per season to 995 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Tiernan played 13 seasons to Buck Ewing's 18. 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
Mike Tiernan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Tiernan leads in hits, home runs, runs, and stolen bases, while Buck Ewing owns RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mike Tiernan. PIV agrees: Mike Tiernan grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Buck Ewing and Mike Tiernan careers compare
From 1887 through 1897, Buck Ewing and Mike Tiernan were in the majors together. With 1,315 games against 1,478 across 18 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Buck Ewing comes out ahead, it is in triples (178 to 162) and RBI (883 to 853). Buck Ewing walked more often than struck out (392 walks, 294 strikeouts); Mike Tiernan walked more often than struck out (748 walks, 376 strikeouts). Mike Tiernan is the more power-leaning hitter, with 106 of 1,838 hits leaving the park. Mike Tiernan was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Mike Tiernan's slugging percentage of .463 tops Buck Ewing's .456.
Buck Ewing vs Mike Tiernan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Buck Ewing or Mike Tiernan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mike Tiernan leads Buck Ewing in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Buck Ewing or Mike Tiernan hit more home runs?
- Mike Tiernan, with 106 to Buck Ewing's 71.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mike Tiernan, with .855 to Buck Ewing's .807.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mike Tiernan, with .311 to Buck Ewing's .303.
- Who had more hits?
- Mike Tiernan, with 1,838 to Buck Ewing's 1,625.