Joe Gordon vs Arky Vaughan: Career Stats Comparison
Arky Vaughan 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). Joe Gordon played 1938–1950 as a hitter; Arky Vaughan played 1932–1948 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
Joe Gordon (1938–1950) and Arky Vaughan (1932–1948) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Joe Gordon finished with 1,530 hits and 253 home runs; Arky Vaughan finished with 2,103 hits and 96 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Joe Gordon, with 253 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS? Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Joe Gordon's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average? Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Joe Gordon's .268.
- Who had more hits? Arky Vaughan, with 2,103 to Joe Gordon's 1,530.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Gordon, with 975 to Arky Vaughan's 926.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Arky Vaughan, with 28,350 career PIV to Joe Gordon's 18,128.
- Who won more championships? Joe Gordon, with 5 World Series titles to Arky Vaughan's 0.
Joe Gordon
Arky Vaughan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Gordon and Arky Vaughan. 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 | Joe Gordon | Arky Vaughan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,566 | Leads: 1,817 |
| At-Bats | 5,707 | Leads: 6,622 |
| Runs | 914 | Leads: 1,173 |
| Hits | 1,530 | Leads: 2,103 |
| Doubles | 264 | Leads: 356 |
| Triples | 52 | Leads: 128 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 253 | 96 |
| RBI | Leads: 975 | 926 |
| Walks | 759 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 702 | 276 |
| Stolen Bases | 89 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | .268 | Leads: .318 |
| On-Base % | .357 | Leads: .406 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .466 | .453 |
| OPS | .822 | Leads: .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Arky Vaughan outpaces Joe Gordon 28,350 to 18,128 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,025 PIV per season to 1,648, across 14 seasons to 11. 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).
Joe Gordon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Arky Vaughan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Arky Vaughan leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Joe Gordon owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Arky Vaughan. PIV agrees: Arky Vaughan grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe Gordon and Arky Vaughan careers compare
From 1938 through 1948, Joe Gordon and Arky Vaughan were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,566 games for Joe Gordon and 1,817 for Arky Vaughan across 11 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Joe Gordon's edges on the table are home runs (253 to 96), RBI (975 to 926), and slugging percentage (.466 to .453). At the plate, Joe Gordon walked more often than struck out (759 walks, 702 strikeouts), and Arky Vaughan walked more often than struck out (937 walks, 276 strikeouts).
Joe Gordon vs Arky Vaughan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Gordon or Arky Vaughan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Arky Vaughan leads Joe Gordon in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Gordon or Arky Vaughan hit more home runs?
- Joe Gordon, with 253 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Joe Gordon's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Joe Gordon's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Arky Vaughan, with 2,103 to Joe Gordon's 1,530.