Lou Gehrig vs Tony Lazzeri: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; Tony Lazzeri played 1926–1939 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 Tony Lazzeri (1926–1939) — both broke in during the 1920s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs; Tony Lazzeri finished with 1,840 hits and 178 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Tony Lazzeri's 178.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Tony Lazzeri's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Tony Lazzeri's .292.
- Who had more hits? Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Tony Lazzeri's 1,840.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Tony Lazzeri's 1,191.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Tony Lazzeri's 19,403.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Tony Lazzeri's 5.
Lou Gehrig
Tony Lazzeri
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and Tony Lazzeri. 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 | Lou Gehrig | Tony Lazzeri |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,164 | 1,740 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,001 | 6,297 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 986 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,721 | 1,840 |
| Doubles | Leads: 534 | 334 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 115 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 178 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 1,191 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 869 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 864 |
| Stolen Bases | 102 | Leads: 148 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .292 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .380 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .467 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .846 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Tony Lazzeri 81,072 to 19,403 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,769 PIV per season to 1,294, across 17 seasons to 15. 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
Tony Lazzeri — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Tony Lazzeri owns 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 Tony Lazzeri careers compare
Lou Gehrig and Tony Lazzeri were active at the same time between 1926 and 1939. The two careers are close in length, 2,164 games for Lou Gehrig and 1,740 for Tony Lazzeri across 17 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Tony Lazzeri comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (148 to 102). Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts); Tony Lazzeri walked more often than struck out (869 walks, 864 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Lou Gehrig's hits: 493 of 2,721 for Lou Gehrig, 178 of 1,840 for Tony Lazzeri.
Lou Gehrig vs Tony Lazzeri: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Tony Lazzeri?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Tony Lazzeri in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Tony Lazzeri hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Tony Lazzeri's 178.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Tony Lazzeri's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Tony Lazzeri's .292.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Tony Lazzeri's 1,840.