Hank Greenberg vs Billy Herman: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Greenberg and Billy Herman are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 as a hitter; Billy Herman played 1931–1947 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 Billy Herman (1931–1947) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Billy Herman finished with 2,345 hits and 47 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Billy Herman's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Billy Herman's .774.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Billy Herman's .304.
- Who had more hits? Billy Herman, with 2,345 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Greenberg, with 1,276 to Billy Herman's 839.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Greenberg, with 43,523 career PIV to Billy Herman's 12,844.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Billy Herman's 0.
Hank Greenberg
Billy Herman
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Billy Herman. 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 | Hank Greenberg | Billy Herman |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 1,922 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 7,707 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,163 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 2,345 |
| Doubles | 379 | Leads: 486 |
| Triples | 71 | Leads: 82 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 331 | 47 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,276 | 839 |
| Walks | Leads: 852 | 737 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 428 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 67 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .304 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .367 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .407 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .774 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Greenberg outpaces Billy Herman 43,523 to 12,844 — driven by per-season impact — 3,348 PIV per season to 756 — rather than by longevity, since Hank Greenberg played 13 seasons to Billy Herman's 17. 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
Billy Herman — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Greenberg leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Billy Herman owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Greenberg. PIV agrees: Hank Greenberg 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 Billy Herman careers compare
Hank Greenberg and Billy Herman were active at the same time between 1931 and 1947. With 1,394 games against 1,922 across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts), and Billy Herman walked more often than struck out (737 walks, 428 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Hank Greenberg's hits: 331 of 1,628 for Hank Greenberg, 47 of 2,345 for Billy Herman. Hank Greenberg's slugging percentage of .605 tops Billy Herman's .407.
Hank Greenberg vs Billy Herman: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Hank Greenberg or Billy Herman hit more home runs?
- Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Billy Herman's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Billy Herman's .774.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Billy Herman's .304.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Herman, with 2,345 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.