Nellie Fox vs Joe Gordon: Career Stats Comparison
Nellie Fox and Joe Gordon are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Nellie Fox played 1947–1965 as a hitter; Joe Gordon played 1938–1950 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 Joe Gordon (1938–1950) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 home runs; Joe Gordon finished with 1,530 hits and 253 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Joe Gordon, with 253 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Gordon, with .822 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nellie Fox, with .288 to Joe Gordon's .268.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Joe Gordon's 1,530.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Gordon, with 975 to Nellie Fox's 790.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Gordon, with 18,128 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
- Who won more championships? Joe Gordon, with 5 World Series titles to Nellie Fox's 0.
Joe Gordon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nellie Fox and Joe Gordon. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nellie Fox | Joe Gordon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,367 | 1,566 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,232 | 5,707 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,279 | 914 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,663 | 1,530 |
| Doubles | Leads: 355 | 264 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 52 |
| Home Runs | 35 | Leads: 253 |
| RBI | 790 | Leads: 975 |
| Walks | 719 | Leads: 759 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 216 | 702 |
| Stolen Bases | 76 | Leads: 89 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .268 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .357 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .466 |
| OPS | .710 | Leads: .822 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Gordon outpaces Nellie Fox 18,128 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 1,648 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Joe Gordon played 11 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
Joe Gordon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Gordon leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and OBP, while Nellie Fox owns hits, runs, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Gordon. PIV agrees: Joe Gordon grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nellie Fox and Joe Gordon careers compare
Nellie Fox and Joe Gordon were active at the same time between 1947 and 1950. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Nellie Fox appeared in 2,367 games to Joe Gordon's 1,566. At the plate, Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts), and Joe Gordon walked more often than struck out (759 walks, 702 strikeouts). Joe Gordon is the more power-leaning hitter, with 253 of 1,530 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Joe Gordon holds the edge, .466 to .363.
Nellie Fox vs Joe Gordon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Nellie Fox or Joe Gordon hit more home runs?
- Joe Gordon, with 253 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Gordon, with .822 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nellie Fox, with .288 to Joe Gordon's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Joe Gordon's 1,530.