Lou Gehrig vs Ken Griffey: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 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
Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) and Ken Griffey (1989–2010) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 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 Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Ken Griffey's 1,836.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 43,975.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Ken Griffey's 0.
Lou Gehrig
Ken Griffey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig 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 | Lou Gehrig | Ken Griffey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,164 | Leads: 2,671 |
| At-Bats | 8,001 | Leads: 9,801 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 1,662 |
| Hits | 2,721 | Leads: 2,781 |
| Doubles | Leads: 534 | 524 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 493 | Leads: 630 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 1,836 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 1,312 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 1,779 |
| Stolen Bases | 102 | Leads: 184 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .370 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .538 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .907 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Ken Griffey 81,072 to 43,975 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 1,912 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 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).
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig 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 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 Ken Griffey careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Lou Gehrig's ended in 1939, and Ken Griffey debuted in 1989. With 2,164 games against 2,671 across 17 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 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 (102 steals in 2,164 games for Lou Gehrig, 184 in 2,671 for Ken Griffey). Lou Gehrig's on-base percentage of .447 tops Ken Griffey's .370.
Lou Gehrig vs Ken Griffey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Ken Griffey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Ken Griffey in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Ken Griffey hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.