Nellie Fox vs Jackie Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Nellie Fox and Jackie Robinson 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; Jackie Robinson played 1947–1956 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 Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) — 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; Jackie Robinson finished with 1,568 hits and 141 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jackie Robinson, with 141 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.
- Who drove in more runs? Nellie Fox, with 790 to Jackie Robinson's 764.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jackie Robinson, with 25,382 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
- Who won more championships? Jackie Robinson, with 1 World Series title to Nellie Fox's 0.
Jackie Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nellie Fox and Jackie Robinson. 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 | Jackie Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,367 | 1,418 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,232 | 5,006 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,279 | 974 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,663 | 1,568 |
| Doubles | Leads: 355 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 35 | Leads: 141 |
| RBI | Leads: 790 | 764 |
| Walks | 719 | Leads: 756 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 216 | 291 |
| Stolen Bases | 76 | Leads: 203 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .410 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .477 |
| OPS | .710 | Leads: .887 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jackie Robinson outpaces Nellie Fox 25,382 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 2,307 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Jackie Robinson 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
Jackie Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jackie Robinson leads in home runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Nellie Fox owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jackie Robinson. PIV agrees: Jackie Robinson 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 Jackie Robinson careers compare
The careers of Nellie Fox (1947–1965) and Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) overlapped from 1947 to 1956, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Nellie Fox appeared in 2,367 games to Jackie Robinson's 1,418. At the plate, Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts), and Jackie Robinson walked more often than struck out (756 walks, 291 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Jackie Robinson's hits: 35 of 2,663 for Nellie Fox, 141 of 1,568 for Jackie Robinson.
Nellie Fox vs Jackie Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Nellie Fox or Jackie Robinson hit more home runs?
- Jackie Robinson, with 141 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.