Nellie Fox vs Arky Vaughan: Career Stats Comparison
Arky Vaughan has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Arky Vaughan played 1932–1948 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 Arky Vaughan (1932–1948) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 home runs; Arky Vaughan finished with 2,103 hits and 96 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Arky Vaughan, with 96 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.
- Who drove in more runs? Arky Vaughan, with 926 to Nellie Fox's 790.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Arky Vaughan, with 28,350 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
Arky Vaughan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nellie Fox and Arky Vaughan. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nellie Fox | Arky Vaughan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,367 | 1,817 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,232 | 6,622 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,279 | 1,173 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,663 | 2,103 |
| Doubles | 355 | Leads: 356 |
| Triples | 112 | Leads: 128 |
| Home Runs | 35 | Leads: 96 |
| RBI | 790 | Leads: 926 |
| Walks | 719 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 216 | 276 |
| Stolen Bases | 76 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .318 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .406 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .453 |
| OPS | .710 | Leads: .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Arky Vaughan outpaces Nellie Fox 28,350 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 2,025 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Arky Vaughan played 14 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
Arky Vaughan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Arky Vaughan leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and batting average, while Nellie Fox owns hits and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Arky Vaughan. PIV agrees: Arky Vaughan 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 Arky Vaughan careers compare
From 1947 through 1948, Nellie Fox and Arky Vaughan were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,367 games for Nellie Fox and 1,817 for Arky Vaughan across 19 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Nellie Fox are games (2,367 to 1,817), at-bats (9,232 to 6,622), and runs (1,279 to 1,173). At the plate, Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts), and Arky Vaughan walked more often than struck out (937 walks, 276 strikeouts). Arky Vaughan is the more power-leaning hitter, with 96 of 2,103 hits leaving the park.
Nellie Fox vs Arky Vaughan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nellie Fox or Arky Vaughan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Arky Vaughan leads Nellie Fox in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nellie Fox or Arky Vaughan hit more home runs?
- Arky Vaughan, with 96 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.