Jimmie Foxx vs Willie McCovey: 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; Willie McCovey played 1959–1980 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 Willie McCovey (1959–1980) — 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; Willie McCovey finished with 2,211 hits and 521 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 Willie McCovey's 521.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Willie McCovey's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits? Jimmie Foxx, with 2,646 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.
- Who drove in more runs? Jimmie Foxx, with 1,922 to Willie McCovey's 1,555.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jimmie Foxx, with 72,872 career PIV to Willie McCovey's 47,331.
- Who won more championships? Jimmie Foxx, with 2 World Series titles to Willie McCovey's 0.
Jimmie Foxx
Willie McCovey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jimmie Foxx and Willie McCovey. 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 | Willie McCovey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,317 | Leads: 2,588 |
| At-Bats | 8,134 | Leads: 8,197 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,751 | 1,229 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,646 | 2,211 |
| Doubles | Leads: 458 | 353 |
| Triples | Leads: 125 | 46 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 534 | 521 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,922 | 1,555 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,452 | 1,345 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,311 | 1,550 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 87 | 26 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .270 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .428 | .374 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .609 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.038 | .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jimmie Foxx outpaces Willie McCovey 72,872 to 47,331 — driven by per-season impact — 3,470 PIV per season to 2,058 — rather than by longevity, since Jimmie Foxx played 21 seasons to Willie McCovey'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
Willie McCovey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jimmie Foxx leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Willie McCovey 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 Willie McCovey careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Jimmie Foxx's ended in 1945, and Willie McCovey debuted in 1959. With 2,317 games against 2,588 across 21 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Willie McCovey comes out ahead, it is in games (2,588 to 2,317) and at-bats (8,197 to 8,134). Plate discipline differs: Jimmie Foxx walked more often than struck out (1,452 walks, 1,311 strikeouts), but Willie McCovey struck out more than walked (1,550 to 1,345). In on-base percentage, Jimmie Foxx holds the edge, .428 to .374.
Jimmie Foxx vs Willie McCovey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jimmie Foxx or Willie McCovey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jimmie Foxx leads Willie McCovey in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jimmie Foxx or Willie McCovey hit more home runs?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 534 to Willie McCovey's 521.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Willie McCovey's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 2,646 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.