Lou Gehrig vs Paul Waner: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Paul Waner played 1926–1945 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 Paul Waner (1926–1945) — 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; Paul Waner finished with 3,152 hits and 113 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 Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Paul Waner's .333.
- Who had more hits? Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Paul Waner's 1,309.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Paul Waner's 40,296.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Paul Waner's 0.
Lou Gehrig
Paul Waner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and Paul Waner. 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 | Paul Waner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,164 | Leads: 2,549 |
| At-Bats | 8,001 | Leads: 9,459 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 1,627 |
| Hits | 2,721 | Leads: 3,152 |
| Doubles | 534 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 163 | Leads: 191 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 113 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 1,309 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 1,091 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 376 |
| Stolen Bases | 102 | Leads: 104 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .333 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .404 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .473 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .878 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Paul Waner 81,072 to 40,296 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 1,832 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Paul Waner's 22. 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
Paul Waner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Paul Waner owns hits and 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 Paul Waner careers compare
The careers of Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) and Paul Waner (1926–1945) overlapped from 1926 to 1939, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,164 games against 2,549 across 17 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts), and Paul Waner walked more often than struck out (1,091 walks, 376 strikeouts). Lou Gehrig is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,721 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Lou Gehrig stole more often per game played (102 steals in 2,164 games for Lou Gehrig, 104 in 2,549 for Paul Waner).
Lou Gehrig vs Paul Waner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Paul Waner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Paul Waner in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Paul Waner hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Paul Waner's .333.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.