Hank Greenberg vs Ken Griffey: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 as a hitter; Ken Griffey played 1989–2010 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
Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) and Ken Griffey (1989–2010) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Griffey, with 630 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey, with 1,836 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Griffey, with 43,975 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Ken Griffey's 0.
Hank Greenberg
Ken Griffey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Ken Griffey. 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 1930s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Ken Griffey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 2,671 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 9,801 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,662 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 2,781 |
| Doubles | 379 | Leads: 524 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 331 | Leads: 630 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 1,836 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 1,312 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 1,779 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 184 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .370 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .538 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .907 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Griffey edges Hank Greenberg 43,975 to 43,523 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ken Griffey played 23 seasons to Hank Greenberg's 13, while Hank Greenberg carries the higher per-season figure (3,348 to 1,912). 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).
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Hank Greenberg owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Griffey. PIV agrees: Ken Griffey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Greenberg and Ken Griffey careers compare
No season is shared: Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947, Ken Griffey 1989–2010. The table compares 1,394 games of Hank Greenberg with 2,671 of Ken Griffey across 13 and 23 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. At the plate, Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts), while Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312). Ken Griffey was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Hank Greenberg holds the edge, .605 to .538. On the peak-season lists, Hank Greenberg's best year is 1938 at 1.122 OPS and Ken Griffey's is 1994 at 1.076 OPS; Hank Greenberg has the stronger single season.
Hank Greenberg vs Ken Griffey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Ken Griffey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Hank Greenberg in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Ken Griffey hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.