Nellie Fox vs Bid McPhee: Career Stats Comparison
Bid McPhee has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Bid McPhee played 1882–1899 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 Bid McPhee (1882–1899) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1880s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 home runs; Bid McPhee finished with 2,258 hits and 53 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Bid McPhee, with 53 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bid McPhee, with .728 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nellie Fox, with .288 to Bid McPhee's .272.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Bid McPhee's 2,258.
- Who drove in more runs? Bid McPhee, with 1,072 to Nellie Fox's 790.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bid McPhee, with 12,342 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
Bid McPhee
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nellie Fox and Bid McPhee. 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 1880s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nellie Fox | Bid McPhee |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,367 | 2,138 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,232 | 8,304 |
| Runs | 1,279 | Leads: 1,684 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,663 | 2,258 |
| Doubles | Leads: 355 | 303 |
| Triples | 112 | Leads: 189 |
| Home Runs | 35 | Leads: 53 |
| RBI | 790 | Leads: 1,072 |
| Walks | 719 | Leads: 982 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 216 | 377 |
| Stolen Bases | 76 | Leads: 568 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .272 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .355 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .373 |
| OPS | .710 | Leads: .728 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bid McPhee outpaces Nellie Fox 12,342 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 686 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Bid McPhee 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
Bid McPhee — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bid McPhee leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Nellie Fox owns hits and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bid McPhee. PIV agrees: Bid McPhee 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 Bid McPhee careers compare
No season is shared: Bid McPhee played 1882–1899, Nellie Fox 1947–1965. With 2,367 games against 2,138 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), and Bid McPhee walked more often than struck out (982 walks, 377 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Bid McPhee's hits: 35 of 2,663 for Nellie Fox, 53 of 2,258 for Bid McPhee. Bid McPhee was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Bid McPhee holds the edge, .373 to .363.
Nellie Fox vs Bid McPhee: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nellie Fox or Bid McPhee?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bid McPhee leads Nellie Fox in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nellie Fox or Bid McPhee hit more home runs?
- Bid McPhee, with 53 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bid McPhee, with .728 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nellie Fox, with .288 to Bid McPhee's .272.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Bid McPhee's 2,258.