Jimmie Foxx vs Mel Ott: Career Stats Comparison
Jimmie Foxx and Mel Ott are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jimmie Foxx played 1925–1945 as a hitter; Mel Ott played 1926–1947 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 Mel Ott (1926–1947) — both broke in during the 1920s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Jimmie Foxx finished with 2,646 hits and 534 home runs; Mel Ott finished with 2,876 hits and 511 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 Mel Ott's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Mel Ott's .947.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Mel Ott's .304.
- Who had more hits? Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Jimmie Foxx's 2,646.
- Who drove in more runs? Jimmie Foxx, with 1,922 to Mel Ott's 1,860.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jimmie Foxx, with 72,872 career PIV to Mel Ott's 64,873.
- Who won more championships? Jimmie Foxx, with 2 World Series titles to Mel Ott's 1.
Jimmie Foxx
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jimmie Foxx and Mel Ott. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jimmie Foxx | Mel Ott |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,317 | Leads: 2,730 |
| At-Bats | 8,134 | Leads: 9,456 |
| Runs | 1,751 | Leads: 1,859 |
| Hits | 2,646 | Leads: 2,876 |
| Doubles | 458 | Leads: 488 |
| Triples | Leads: 125 | 72 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 534 | 511 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,922 | 1,860 |
| Walks | 1,452 | Leads: 1,708 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,311 | 896 |
| Stolen Bases | 87 | Leads: 89 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .304 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .428 | .414 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .609 | .533 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.038 | .947 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jimmie Foxx leads Mel Ott 72,872 to 64,873 — driven by per-season impact — 3,470 PIV per season to 2,949 — rather than by longevity, since Jimmie Foxx played 21 seasons to Mel Ott's 22. 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
Mel Ott — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jimmie Foxx leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Mel Ott owns hits, 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 Mel Ott careers compare
The careers of Jimmie Foxx (1925–1945) and Mel Ott (1926–1947) overlapped from 1926 to 1945, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,317 games for Jimmie Foxx and 2,730 for Mel Ott across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jimmie Foxx walked more often than struck out (1,452 walks, 1,311 strikeouts); Mel Ott walked more often than struck out (1,708 walks, 896 strikeouts). In slugging percentage, Jimmie Foxx holds the edge, .609 to .533.
Jimmie Foxx vs Mel Ott: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Jimmie Foxx or Mel Ott hit more home runs?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 534 to Mel Ott's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Mel Ott's .947.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Mel Ott's .304.
- Who had more hits?
- Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Jimmie Foxx's 2,646.