Jimmie Foxx vs Ken Griffey: Career Stats Comparison
Jimmie Foxx has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jimmie Foxx played 1925–1945 as a hitter; Ken Griffey played 1989–2010 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
Jimmie Foxx (1925–1945) and Ken Griffey (1989–2010) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jimmie Foxx finished with 2,646 hits and 534 home runs; Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Griffey, with 630 to Jimmie Foxx's 534.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Jimmie Foxx's 2,646.
- Who drove in more runs? Jimmie Foxx, with 1,922 to Ken Griffey's 1,836.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jimmie Foxx, with 72,872 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 43,975.
- Who won more championships? Jimmie Foxx, with 2 World Series titles to Ken Griffey's 0.
Jimmie Foxx
Ken Griffey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jimmie Foxx and Ken Griffey. 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 1920s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jimmie Foxx | Ken Griffey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,317 | Leads: 2,671 |
| At-Bats | 8,134 | Leads: 9,801 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,751 | 1,662 |
| Hits | 2,646 | Leads: 2,781 |
| Doubles | 458 | Leads: 524 |
| Triples | Leads: 125 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 534 | Leads: 630 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,922 | 1,836 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,452 | 1,312 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,311 | 1,779 |
| Stolen Bases | 87 | Leads: 184 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .428 | .370 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .609 | .538 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.038 | .907 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jimmie Foxx outpaces Ken Griffey 72,872 to 43,975 — driven by per-season impact — 3,470 PIV per season to 1,912 — rather than by longevity, since Jimmie Foxx played 21 seasons to Ken Griffey's 23. 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).
Jimmie Foxx — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jimmie Foxx leads in RBI, runs, batting average, and OBP, while Ken Griffey owns hits, home runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jimmie Foxx. PIV agrees: Jimmie Foxx grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jimmie Foxx and Ken Griffey careers compare
Jimmie Foxx (1925–1945) was finished before Ken Griffey (1989–2010) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 2,317 games for Jimmie Foxx and 2,671 for Ken Griffey across 21 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Jimmie Foxx walked more often than struck out (1,452 walks, 1,311 strikeouts), while Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312). On the bases, Ken Griffey stole more often per game played (87 steals in 2,317 games for Jimmie Foxx, 184 in 2,671 for Ken Griffey). Jimmie Foxx's on-base percentage of .428 tops Ken Griffey's .370.
Jimmie Foxx vs Ken Griffey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jimmie Foxx or Ken Griffey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jimmie Foxx leads Ken Griffey in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jimmie Foxx or Ken Griffey hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Jimmie Foxx's 534.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Jimmie Foxx's 2,646.