Lou Gehrig vs Biz Mackey: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 14 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; Biz Mackey played ?–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 Biz Mackey (?–1947) — their careers are worth a careful side-by-side. Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs; Biz Mackey finished with 1,165 hits and 64 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 Biz Mackey's 64.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Biz Mackey's .871.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Biz Mackey's .329.
- Who had more hits? Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Biz Mackey's 1,165.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Biz Mackey's 698.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Biz Mackey's 11,740.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Biz Mackey's 2.
Lou Gehrig
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and Biz Mackey. 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 | Biz Mackey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,164 | 1,031 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,001 | 3,540 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 584 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,721 | 1,165 |
| Doubles | Leads: 534 | 202 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 64 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 64 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 698 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 361 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 18 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 102 | 73 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .329 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .394 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .477 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .871 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Biz Mackey 81,072 to 11,740 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 405 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Biz Mackey's 29. 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
Biz Mackey — top 1 season by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Biz Mackey owns no headline categories. 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 Biz Mackey careers compare
No season is shared: Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939, Biz Mackey ?–1947. The table compares 2,164 games of Lou Gehrig with 1,031 of Biz Mackey across 17 and 29 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Lou Gehrig leads every scored row of the table. At the plate, Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts), and Biz Mackey walked more often than struck out (361 walks, 18 strikeouts). Lou Gehrig is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,721 hits leaving the park. Biz Mackey was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Lou Gehrig holds the edge, .632 to .477.
Lou Gehrig vs Biz Mackey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Biz Mackey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Biz Mackey in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Biz Mackey hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Biz Mackey's 64.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Biz Mackey's .871.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Biz Mackey's .329.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Biz Mackey's 1,165.