Lou Gehrig vs Cal Ripken: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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 Cal Ripken (1981–2001) — 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; Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 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 Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Cal Ripken's 1,695.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Cal Ripken's 1.
Lou Gehrig
Cal Ripken
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken. 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 | Cal Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,164 | Leads: 3,001 |
| At-Bats | 8,001 | Leads: 11,551 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 1,647 |
| Hits | 2,721 | Leads: 3,184 |
| Doubles | 534 | Leads: 603 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 44 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 431 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 1,695 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 1,129 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 1,305 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 102 | 36 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .340 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .447 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .788 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Cal Ripken 81,072 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Cal Ripken's 21. 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
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Cal Ripken 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 Cal Ripken careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Lou Gehrig's ended in 1939, and Cal Ripken debuted in 1981. The two careers are close in length, 2,164 games for Lou Gehrig and 3,001 for Cal Ripken across 17 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Cal Ripken are games (3,001 to 2,164), at-bats (11,551 to 8,001), and hits (3,184 to 2,721). At the plate, Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts), while Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129). Lou Gehrig is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,721 hits leaving the park.
Lou Gehrig vs Cal Ripken: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Cal Ripken?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Cal Ripken in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Cal Ripken hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.