Lou Gehrig vs Hank Greenberg: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 as a hitter; Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 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
Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) and Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) — they debuted in the 1920s and the 1930s respectively and share 10 seasons. Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs; Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Lou Gehrig, in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Hank Greenberg's 1.017.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Hank Greenberg's .313.
- Who had more hits? Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
Lou Gehrig
Hank Greenberg
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and Hank Greenberg. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Lou Gehrig | Hank Greenberg |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,164 | 1,394 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,001 | 5,193 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 1,051 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,721 | 1,628 |
| Doubles | Leads: 534 | 379 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 71 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 331 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 1,276 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 852 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 844 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 102 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .313 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .412 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .605 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | 1.017 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Hank Greenberg 81,072 to 43,523 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,769 PIV per season to 3,348, across 17 seasons to 13. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Lou Gehrig leads 12 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Hank Greenberg leads 0: no scored category. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Gehrig. PIV agrees: Lou Gehrig grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lou Gehrig and Hank Greenberg careers compare
From 1930 through 1939, Lou Gehrig and Hank Greenberg were in the majors together. Lou Gehrig has the far longer record, 2,164 games against 1,394 across 17 and 13 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Lou Gehrig leads every scored row of the table. Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts); Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts). Lou Gehrig was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Lou Gehrig's on-base percentage of .447 tops Hank Greenberg's .412. Lou Gehrig owns the better peak by OPS: 1.240 OPS in 1927 for Lou Gehrig against 1.122 OPS in 1938 for Hank Greenberg.
Lou Gehrig vs Hank Greenberg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Hank Greenberg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Hank Greenberg in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Hank Greenberg hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Hank Greenberg's 1.017.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Hank Greenberg's .313.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.