Nellie Fox vs Bill Freehan: Career Stats Comparison
Nellie Fox has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Nellie Fox played 1947–1965 as a hitter; Bill Freehan played 1961–1976 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
Nellie Fox (1947–1965) and Bill Freehan (1961–1976) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 home runs; Bill Freehan finished with 1,591 hits and 200 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Bill Freehan, with 200 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bill Freehan, with .752 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nellie Fox, with .288 to Bill Freehan's .262.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Bill Freehan's 1,591.
- Who drove in more runs? Nellie Fox, with 790 to Bill Freehan's 758.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bill Freehan, with 12,940 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
- Who won more championships? Bill Freehan, with 1 World Series title to Nellie Fox's 0.
Bill Freehan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nellie Fox and Bill Freehan. 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, and the 1940s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nellie Fox | Bill Freehan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,367 | 1,774 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,232 | 6,073 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,279 | 706 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,663 | 1,591 |
| Doubles | Leads: 355 | 241 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 35 |
| Home Runs | 35 | Leads: 200 |
| RBI | Leads: 790 | 758 |
| Walks | Leads: 719 | 626 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 216 | 753 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 76 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .262 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .348 | .340 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .412 |
| OPS | .710 | Leads: .752 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bill Freehan outpaces Nellie Fox 12,940 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 863 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Bill Freehan played 15 seasons to Nellie Fox's 19. 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).
Nellie Fox — top 3 seasons by OPS
Bill Freehan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nellie Fox leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Bill Freehan owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nellie Fox. Note that PIV actually grades Bill Freehan ahead, which means Nellie Fox's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nellie Fox and Bill Freehan careers compare
From 1961 through 1965, Nellie Fox and Bill Freehan were in the majors together. With 2,367 games against 1,774 across 19 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Bill Freehan comes out ahead, it is in home runs (200 to 35), slugging percentage (.412 to .363), and OPS (.752 to .710). At the plate, Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts), while Bill Freehan struck out more than walked (753 to 626). Bill Freehan is the more power-leaning hitter, with 200 of 1,591 hits leaving the park.
Nellie Fox vs Bill Freehan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nellie Fox or Bill Freehan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nellie Fox leads Bill Freehan in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nellie Fox or Bill Freehan hit more home runs?
- Bill Freehan, with 200 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bill Freehan, with .752 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nellie Fox, with .288 to Bill Freehan's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Bill Freehan's 1,591.