Nellie Fox vs Elston Howard: 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; Elston Howard played 1955–1968 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 Elston Howard (1955–1968) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 home runs; Elston Howard finished with 1,491 hits and 168 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Elston Howard, with 168 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Elston Howard, with .748 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nellie Fox, with .288 to Elston Howard's .274.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Elston Howard's 1,491.
- Who drove in more runs? Nellie Fox, with 790 to Elston Howard's 775.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Elston Howard, with 6,426 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
- Who won more championships? Elston Howard, with 4 World Series titles to Nellie Fox's 0.
Elston Howard
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nellie Fox and Elston Howard. 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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nellie Fox | Elston Howard |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,367 | 1,625 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,232 | 5,443 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,279 | 635 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,663 | 1,491 |
| Doubles | Leads: 355 | 223 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 53 |
| Home Runs | 35 | Leads: 168 |
| RBI | Leads: 790 | 775 |
| Walks | Leads: 719 | 376 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 216 | 786 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 76 | 10 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .274 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .348 | .321 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .427 |
| OPS | .710 | Leads: .748 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Elston Howard outpaces Nellie Fox 6,426 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 402 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Elston Howard played 16 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
Elston Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nellie Fox leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Elston Howard 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 Elston Howard 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 Elston Howard careers compare
Nellie Fox and Elston Howard were active at the same time between 1955 and 1965. With 2,367 games against 1,625 across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Elston Howard's edges on the table are home runs (168 to 35), slugging percentage (.427 to .363), and OPS (.748 to .710). At the plate, Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts), while Elston Howard struck out more than walked (786 to 376). Elston Howard is the more power-leaning hitter, with 168 of 1,491 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Elston Howard holds the edge, .427 to .363.
Nellie Fox vs Elston Howard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nellie Fox or Elston Howard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nellie Fox leads Elston Howard in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nellie Fox or Elston Howard hit more home runs?
- Elston Howard, with 168 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Elston Howard, with .748 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nellie Fox, with .288 to Elston Howard's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Elston Howard's 1,491.