Nellie Fox vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose has the better career line of the two, leading 14 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; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Pete Rose, with 160 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Pete Rose, with .784 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Nellie Fox's 2,663.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Nellie Fox's 790.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Nellie Fox's 0.
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nellie Fox and Pete Rose. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nellie Fox | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,367 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 9,232 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,279 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,663 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 355 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 112 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | 35 | Leads: 160 |
| RBI | 790 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 719 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 216 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 76 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .409 |
| OPS | .710 | Leads: .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Nellie Fox 40,772 to 1,100 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 58, across 25 seasons to 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
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Nellie Fox owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose 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 Pete Rose careers compare
Nellie Fox and Pete Rose were active at the same time between 1963 and 1965. The table compares 2,367 games of Nellie Fox with 3,562 of Pete Rose across 19 and 25 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Every scored category on the table goes to Pete Rose. At the plate, Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts), and Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Pete Rose is the more power-leaning hitter, with 160 of 4,256 hits leaving the park. Pete Rose was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Nellie Fox vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nellie Fox or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Nellie Fox in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nellie Fox or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Pete Rose, with 160 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Pete Rose, with .784 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Nellie Fox's 2,663.