Lou Gehrig vs Tony Perez: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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 Perez played 1964–1986 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 Perez (1964–1986) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs; Tony Perez finished with 2,732 hits and 379 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 Perez's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Tony Perez's .804.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Tony Perez's .279.
- Who had more hits? Tony Perez, with 2,732 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Tony Perez's 1,652.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Tony Perez's 28,896.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Tony Perez's 2.
Lou Gehrig
Tony Perez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and Tony Perez. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lou Gehrig | Tony Perez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,164 | Leads: 2,777 |
| At-Bats | 8,001 | Leads: 9,778 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 1,272 |
| Hits | 2,721 | Leads: 2,732 |
| Doubles | Leads: 534 | 505 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 79 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 379 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 1,652 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 925 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 1,867 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 102 | 49 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .341 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .463 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .804 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Tony Perez 81,072 to 28,896 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 1,256 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Tony Perez'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
Tony Perez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Tony Perez owns hits. 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 Perez careers compare
Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) was finished before Tony Perez (1964–1986) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,164 games against 2,777 across 17 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Tony Perez comes out ahead, it is in games (2,777 to 2,164), at-bats (9,778 to 8,001), and hits (2,732 to 2,721). Plate discipline differs: Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts), but Tony Perez struck out more than walked (1,867 to 925). Lou Gehrig is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,721 hits leaving the park.
Lou Gehrig vs Tony Perez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Tony Perez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Tony Perez in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Tony Perez hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Tony Perez's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Tony Perez's .804.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Tony Perez's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Tony Perez, with 2,732 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.