Rick Ferrell vs Charlie Gehringer: Career Stats Comparison
Charlie Gehringer 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; Charlie Gehringer played 1924–1942 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 Charlie Gehringer (1924–1942) — 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; Charlie Gehringer finished with 2,839 hits and 184 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Charlie Gehringer, with 184 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS? Charlie Gehringer, with .884 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average? Charlie Gehringer, with .320 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits? Charlie Gehringer, with 2,839 to Rick Ferrell's 1,692.
- Who drove in more runs? Charlie Gehringer, with 1,427 to Rick Ferrell's 734.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Charlie Gehringer, with 39,288 career PIV to Rick Ferrell's 6,474.
- Who won more championships? Charlie Gehringer, with 1 World Series title to Rick Ferrell's 0.
Rick Ferrell
Charlie Gehringer
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rick Ferrell and Charlie Gehringer. 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 | Charlie Gehringer |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,884 | Leads: 2,323 |
| At-Bats | 6,028 | Leads: 8,860 |
| Runs | 687 | Leads: 1,774 |
| Hits | 1,692 | Leads: 2,839 |
| Doubles | 324 | Leads: 574 |
| Triples | 45 | Leads: 146 |
| Home Runs | 28 | Leads: 184 |
| RBI | 734 | Leads: 1,427 |
| Walks | 931 | Leads: 1,186 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 277 | 372 |
| Stolen Bases | 29 | Leads: 181 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .320 |
| On-Base % | .378 | Leads: .404 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .480 |
| OPS | .741 | Leads: .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Charlie Gehringer outpaces Rick Ferrell 39,288 to 6,474 — driven by per-season impact — 2,068 PIV per season to 308 — rather than by longevity, since Charlie Gehringer played 19 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
Charlie Gehringer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Charlie Gehringer 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 Charlie Gehringer. PIV agrees: Charlie Gehringer 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 Charlie Gehringer careers compare
From 1929 through 1942, Rick Ferrell and Charlie Gehringer were in the majors together. With 1,884 games against 2,323 across 21 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Charlie Gehringer. Rick Ferrell walked more often than struck out (931 walks, 277 strikeouts); Charlie Gehringer walked more often than struck out (1,186 walks, 372 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Charlie Gehringer's hits: 28 of 1,692 for Rick Ferrell, 184 of 2,839 for Charlie Gehringer. On the bases, Charlie Gehringer stole more often per game played (29 steals in 1,884 games for Rick Ferrell, 181 in 2,323 for Charlie Gehringer).
Rick Ferrell vs Charlie Gehringer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Ferrell or Charlie Gehringer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Charlie Gehringer leads Rick Ferrell in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rick Ferrell or Charlie Gehringer hit more home runs?
- Charlie Gehringer, with 184 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Charlie Gehringer, with .884 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Charlie Gehringer, with .320 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Charlie Gehringer, with 2,839 to Rick Ferrell's 1,692.