Lou Gehrig vs George Sisler: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 as a hitter; George Sisler played 1915–1930 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 George Sisler (1915–1930) — they debuted in the 1920s and the 1910s respectively and share 8 seasons. Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs; George Sisler finished with 2,812 hits and 102 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Lou Gehrig, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Gehrig, with 493 to George Sisler's 102.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to George Sisler's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .340.
- Who had more hits? George Sisler, with 2,812 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to George Sisler's 1,175.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to George Sisler's 29,261.
Lou Gehrig
George Sisler
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and George Sisler. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | George Sisler |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,164 | 2,055 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,001 | 8,267 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 1,284 |
| Hits | 2,721 | Leads: 2,812 |
| Doubles | Leads: 534 | 425 |
| Triples | 163 | Leads: 164 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 102 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 1,175 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 472 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 327 |
| Stolen Bases | 102 | Leads: 375 |
| Batting Avg | .340 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .379 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .468 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .847 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces George Sisler 81,072 to 29,261 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,769 PIV per season to 1,951, across 17 seasons to 15. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
George Sisler — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Lou Gehrig leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, doubles, home runs, RBI, and others. George Sisler leads 4: hits, triples, stolen bases, and batting average. 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 George Sisler careers compare
The careers of Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) and George Sisler (1915–1930) overlapped from 1923 to 1930, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,164 games for Lou Gehrig and 2,055 for George Sisler across 17 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where George Sisler comes out ahead, it is in hits (2,812 to 2,721), triples (164 to 163), and stolen bases (375 to 102). Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts); George Sisler walked more often than struck out (472 walks, 327 strikeouts).
Lou Gehrig vs George Sisler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or George Sisler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads George Sisler in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or George Sisler hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to George Sisler's 102.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to George Sisler's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .340.
- Who had more hits?
- George Sisler, with 2,812 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.