Hank Greenberg vs Gil Hodges: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Greenberg has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 as a hitter; Gil Hodges played 1943–1963 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 Gil Hodges (1943–1963) — they debuted in the 1930s and the 1940s respectively and share 5 seasons. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Gil Hodges finished with 1,921 hits and 370 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Hank Greenberg, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Gil Hodges, with 370 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Gil Hodges's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Gil Hodges's .273.
- Who had more hits? Gil Hodges, with 1,921 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Greenberg, with 1,276 to Gil Hodges's 1,274.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Greenberg, with 43,523 career PIV to Gil Hodges's 24,928.
Hank Greenberg
Gil Hodges
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Gil Hodges. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Gil Hodges |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,394 | 2,071 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,193 | 7,030 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,105 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 1,921 |
| Doubles | Leads: 379 | 295 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 48 |
| Home Runs | 331 | Leads: 370 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,276 | 1,274 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 943 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 1,137 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 63 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .359 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .487 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .846 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Greenberg outpaces Gil Hodges 43,523 to 24,928 — driven by per-season impact — 3,348 PIV per season to 1,385 — rather than by longevity, since Hank Greenberg played 13 seasons to Gil Hodges's 18. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Gil Hodges — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Hank Greenberg leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: doubles, triples, RBI, batting average, and others. Gil Hodges leads 5: runs, hits, home runs, walks, and others. 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 Gil Hodges careers compare
From 1943 through 1947, Hank Greenberg and Gil Hodges were in the majors together. With 1,394 games against 2,071 across 13 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts), but Gil Hodges struck out more than walked (1,137 to 943). In on-base percentage, Hank Greenberg holds the edge, .412 to .359. Best seasons: 1938 for Hank Greenberg (1.122 OPS, 58 HR, 146 RBI, .315 avg) and 1954 for Gil Hodges (.952 OPS, 42 HR, 130 RBI, .304 avg).
Hank Greenberg vs Gil Hodges: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Gil Hodges?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Greenberg leads Gil Hodges in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Gil Hodges hit more home runs?
- Gil Hodges, with 370 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Gil Hodges's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Gil Hodges's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Gil Hodges, with 1,921 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.