Rick Ferrell vs Mel Ott: Career Stats Comparison
Mel Ott 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; Mel Ott played 1926–1947 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
Rick Ferrell (1929–1947) and Mel Ott (1926–1947) — 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; Mel Ott finished with 2,876 hits and 511 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mel Ott, with 511 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mel Ott, with .947 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mel Ott, with .304 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits? Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Rick Ferrell's 1,692.
- Who drove in more runs? Mel Ott, with 1,860 to Rick Ferrell's 734.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mel Ott, with 64,873 career PIV to Rick Ferrell's 6,474.
- Who won more championships? Mel Ott, with 1 World Series title to Rick Ferrell's 0.
Rick Ferrell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rick Ferrell and Mel Ott. 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 | Mel Ott |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,884 | Leads: 2,730 |
| At-Bats | 6,028 | Leads: 9,456 |
| Runs | 687 | Leads: 1,859 |
| Hits | 1,692 | Leads: 2,876 |
| Doubles | 324 | Leads: 488 |
| Triples | 45 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 28 | Leads: 511 |
| RBI | 734 | Leads: 1,860 |
| Walks | 931 | Leads: 1,708 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 277 | 896 |
| Stolen Bases | 29 | Leads: 89 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .304 |
| On-Base % | .378 | Leads: .414 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .533 |
| OPS | .741 | Leads: .947 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mel Ott outpaces Rick Ferrell 64,873 to 6,474 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,949 PIV per season to 308, across 22 seasons to 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
Mel Ott — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mel Ott 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 Mel Ott. PIV agrees: Mel Ott 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 Mel Ott careers compare
The careers of Rick Ferrell (1929–1947) and Mel Ott (1926–1947) overlapped from 1929 to 1947, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,884 games for Rick Ferrell and 2,730 for Mel Ott across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Mel Ott. Rick Ferrell walked more often than struck out (931 walks, 277 strikeouts); Mel Ott walked more often than struck out (1,708 walks, 896 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mel Ott's hits: 28 of 1,692 for Rick Ferrell, 511 of 2,876 for Mel Ott.
Rick Ferrell vs Mel Ott: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Ferrell or Mel Ott?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mel Ott leads Rick Ferrell in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rick Ferrell or Mel Ott hit more home runs?
- Mel Ott, with 511 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mel Ott, with .947 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mel Ott, with .304 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Rick Ferrell's 1,692.