Nellie Fox vs Gil Hodges: Career Stats Comparison
Nellie Fox has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Gil Hodges played 1943–1963 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 Gil Hodges (1943–1963) — both broke in during the 1940s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 home runs; Gil Hodges finished with 1,921 hits and 370 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Gil Hodges, with 370 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gil Hodges, with .846 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nellie Fox, with .288 to Gil Hodges's .273.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Gil Hodges's 1,921.
- Who drove in more runs? Gil Hodges, with 1,274 to Nellie Fox's 790.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Gil Hodges, with 24,928 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
- Who won more championships? Gil Hodges, with 2 World Series titles to Nellie Fox's 0.
Gil Hodges
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nellie Fox and Gil Hodges. 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 | Nellie Fox | Gil Hodges |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,367 | 2,071 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,232 | 7,030 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,279 | 1,105 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,663 | 1,921 |
| Doubles | Leads: 355 | 295 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 48 |
| Home Runs | 35 | Leads: 370 |
| RBI | 790 | Leads: 1,274 |
| Walks | 719 | Leads: 943 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 216 | 1,137 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 76 | 63 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .273 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .359 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .487 |
| OPS | .710 | Leads: .846 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gil Hodges outpaces Nellie Fox 24,928 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 1,385 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Gil Hodges played 18 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
Gil Hodges — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gil Hodges leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Nellie Fox owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gil Hodges. PIV agrees: Gil Hodges 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 Gil Hodges careers compare
The careers of Nellie Fox (1947–1965) and Gil Hodges (1943–1963) overlapped from 1947 to 1963, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,367 games against 2,071 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts), while Gil Hodges struck out more than walked (1,137 to 943). Home runs make up a larger share of Gil Hodges's hits: 35 of 2,663 for Nellie Fox, 370 of 1,921 for Gil Hodges. In on-base percentage, Gil Hodges holds the edge, .359 to .348.
Nellie Fox vs Gil Hodges: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nellie Fox or Gil Hodges?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nellie Fox leads Gil Hodges in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nellie Fox or Gil Hodges hit more home runs?
- Gil Hodges, with 370 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gil Hodges, with .846 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nellie Fox, with .288 to Gil Hodges's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Gil Hodges's 1,921.