Jimmie Foxx vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Jimmie Foxx has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 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 Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jimmie Foxx finished with 2,646 hits and 534 home runs; Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jimmie Foxx, with 534 to Eddie Mathews's 512.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Jimmie Foxx, with 2,646 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Jimmie Foxx, with 1,922 to Eddie Mathews's 1,453.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jimmie Foxx, with 72,872 career PIV to Eddie Mathews's 45,555.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Jimmie Foxx
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jimmie Foxx and Eddie Mathews. 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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jimmie Foxx | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,317 | Leads: 2,391 |
| At-Bats | 8,134 | Leads: 8,537 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,751 | 1,509 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,646 | 2,315 |
| Doubles | Leads: 458 | 354 |
| Triples | Leads: 125 | 72 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 534 | 512 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,922 | 1,453 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,452 | 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,311 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 87 | 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .271 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .428 | .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .609 | .509 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.038 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jimmie Foxx outpaces Eddie Mathews 72,872 to 45,555 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,470 PIV per season to 2,531, across 21 seasons to 18. 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
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jimmie Foxx leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Eddie Mathews owns no headline categories. 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 Eddie Mathews careers compare
Jimmie Foxx (1925–1945) was finished before Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,317 games against 2,391 across 21 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Eddie Mathews are games (2,391 to 2,317) and at-bats (8,537 to 8,134). Plate discipline differs: Jimmie Foxx walked more often than struck out (1,452 walks, 1,311 strikeouts), but Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). In slugging percentage, Jimmie Foxx holds the edge, .609 to .509. Jimmie Foxx owns the better peak by OPS: 1.218 OPS in 1932 for Jimmie Foxx against 1.033 OPS in 1953 for Eddie Mathews.
Jimmie Foxx vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jimmie Foxx or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jimmie Foxx leads Eddie Mathews in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jimmie Foxx or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 534 to Eddie Mathews's 512.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 2,646 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.