Charlie Gehringer vs Cal Ripken: Career Stats Comparison
Charlie Gehringer 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). Charlie Gehringer played 1924–1942 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
Charlie Gehringer (1924–1942) and Cal Ripken (1981–2001) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Charlie Gehringer finished with 2,839 hits and 184 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? Cal Ripken, with 431 to Charlie Gehringer's 184.
- Who had the higher OPS? Charlie Gehringer, with .884 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Charlie Gehringer, with .320 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Charlie Gehringer's 2,839.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Charlie Gehringer's 1,427.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Charlie Gehringer, with 39,288 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Charlie Gehringer
Cal Ripken
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Charlie Gehringer 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 | Charlie Gehringer | Cal Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,323 | Leads: 3,001 |
| At-Bats | 8,860 | Leads: 11,551 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,774 | 1,647 |
| Hits | 2,839 | Leads: 3,184 |
| Doubles | 574 | Leads: 603 |
| Triples | Leads: 146 | 44 |
| Home Runs | 184 | Leads: 431 |
| RBI | 1,427 | Leads: 1,695 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,186 | 1,129 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 372 | 1,305 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 181 | 36 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .320 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .404 | .340 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .447 |
| OPS | Leads: .884 | .788 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Charlie Gehringer outpaces Cal Ripken 39,288 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 2,068 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since Charlie Gehringer played 19 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).
Charlie Gehringer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Charlie Gehringer leads in runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Cal Ripken owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Charlie Gehringer. PIV agrees: Charlie Gehringer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Charlie Gehringer and Cal Ripken careers compare
Charlie Gehringer (1924–1942) was finished before Cal Ripken (1981–2001) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,323 games against 3,001 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Charlie Gehringer walked more often than struck out (1,186 walks, 372 strikeouts), while Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129). Cal Ripken is the more power-leaning hitter, with 431 of 3,184 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Charlie Gehringer stole more often per game played (181 steals in 2,323 games for Charlie Gehringer, 36 in 3,001 for Cal Ripken). In slugging percentage, Charlie Gehringer holds the edge, .480 to .447.
Charlie Gehringer vs Cal Ripken: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Charlie Gehringer or Cal Ripken?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Charlie Gehringer leads Cal Ripken in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Charlie Gehringer or Cal Ripken hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to Charlie Gehringer's 184.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Charlie Gehringer, with .884 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Charlie Gehringer, with .320 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Charlie Gehringer's 2,839.