Rick Ferrell vs Jimmie Foxx: Career Stats Comparison
Jimmie Foxx has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rick Ferrell played 1929–1947 as a hitter; Jimmie Foxx played 1925–1945 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
Rick Ferrell (1929–1947) and Jimmie Foxx (1925–1945) — both broke in during the 1920s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Rick Ferrell finished with 1,692 hits and 28 home runs; Jimmie Foxx finished with 2,646 hits and 534 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jimmie Foxx, with 534 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits? Jimmie Foxx, with 2,646 to Rick Ferrell's 1,692.
- Who drove in more runs? Jimmie Foxx, with 1,922 to Rick Ferrell's 734.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jimmie Foxx, with 72,872 career PIV to Rick Ferrell's 6,474.
- Who won more championships? Jimmie Foxx, with 2 World Series titles to Rick Ferrell's 0.
Rick Ferrell
Jimmie Foxx
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rick Ferrell and Jimmie Foxx. 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 | Rick Ferrell | Jimmie Foxx |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,884 | Leads: 2,317 |
| At-Bats | 6,028 | Leads: 8,134 |
| Runs | 687 | Leads: 1,751 |
| Hits | 1,692 | Leads: 2,646 |
| Doubles | 324 | Leads: 458 |
| Triples | 45 | Leads: 125 |
| Home Runs | 28 | Leads: 534 |
| RBI | 734 | Leads: 1,922 |
| Walks | 931 | Leads: 1,452 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 277 | 1,311 |
| Stolen Bases | 29 | Leads: 87 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .325 |
| On-Base % | .378 | Leads: .428 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .609 |
| OPS | .741 | Leads: 1.038 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jimmie Foxx outpaces Rick Ferrell 72,872 to 6,474 — driven by per-season impact — 3,470 PIV per season to 308 — rather than by longevity, since Jimmie Foxx played 21 seasons to Rick Ferrell's 21. 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).
Rick Ferrell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jimmie Foxx — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jimmie Foxx leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Rick Ferrell owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jimmie Foxx. PIV agrees: Jimmie Foxx grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rick Ferrell and Jimmie Foxx careers compare
From 1929 through 1945, Rick Ferrell and Jimmie Foxx were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,884 games for Rick Ferrell and 2,317 for Jimmie Foxx across 21 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Jimmie Foxx. At the plate, Rick Ferrell walked more often than struck out (931 walks, 277 strikeouts), and Jimmie Foxx walked more often than struck out (1,452 walks, 1,311 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Jimmie Foxx's hits: 28 of 1,692 for Rick Ferrell, 534 of 2,646 for Jimmie Foxx.
Rick Ferrell vs Jimmie Foxx: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Ferrell or Jimmie Foxx?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jimmie Foxx leads Rick Ferrell in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rick Ferrell or Jimmie Foxx hit more home runs?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 534 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 2,646 to Rick Ferrell's 1,692.