Rick Ferrell vs Josh Gibson: Career Stats Comparison
Josh Gibson has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Josh Gibson played ?–1946 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 Josh Gibson (?–1946) — their careers are worth a careful side-by-side. Rick Ferrell finished with 1,692 hits and 28 home runs; Josh Gibson finished with 1,007 hits and 197 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Josh Gibson, with 197 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Gibson, with 1.136 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average? Josh Gibson, with .364 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits? Rick Ferrell, with 1,692 to Josh Gibson's 1,007.
- Who drove in more runs? Josh Gibson, with 872 to Rick Ferrell's 734.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Josh Gibson, with 28,319 career PIV to Rick Ferrell's 6,474.
- Who won more championships? Josh Gibson, with 2 World Series titles to Rick Ferrell's 0.
Rick Ferrell
Josh Gibson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rick Ferrell and Josh Gibson. 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 | Josh Gibson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,884 | 766 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,028 | 2,768 |
| Runs | 687 | Leads: 733 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,692 | 1,007 |
| Doubles | Leads: 324 | 170 |
| Triples | 45 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 28 | Leads: 197 |
| RBI | 734 | Leads: 872 |
| Walks | Leads: 931 | 400 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 277 | 20 |
| Stolen Bases | 29 | Leads: 44 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .364 |
| On-Base % | .378 | Leads: .446 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .691 |
| OPS | .741 | Leads: 1.136 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Josh Gibson outpaces Rick Ferrell 28,319 to 6,474 — driven by per-season impact — 1,666 PIV per season to 308 — rather than by longevity, since Josh Gibson played 17 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
Josh Gibson
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Josh Gibson leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Rick Ferrell owns hits. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Josh Gibson. PIV agrees: Josh Gibson 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 Josh Gibson careers compare
From 1946 through 1946, Rick Ferrell and Josh Gibson were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Rick Ferrell appeared in 1,884 games to Josh Gibson's 766. Rick Ferrell walked more often than struck out (931 walks, 277 strikeouts); Josh Gibson walked more often than struck out (400 walks, 20 strikeouts). Josh Gibson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 197 of 1,007 hits leaving the park. Josh Gibson's on-base percentage of .446 tops Rick Ferrell's .378. Josh Gibson has no qualifying season for the peak list, while Rick Ferrell's best is 1936.
Rick Ferrell vs Josh Gibson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Ferrell or Josh Gibson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Josh Gibson leads Rick Ferrell in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rick Ferrell or Josh Gibson hit more home runs?
- Josh Gibson, with 197 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Gibson, with 1.136 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Josh Gibson, with .364 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Rick Ferrell, with 1,692 to Josh Gibson's 1,007.