Hank Greenberg vs Rogers Hornsby: Career Stats Comparison
Rogers Hornsby 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). Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 as a hitter; Rogers Hornsby played 1915–1937 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 Rogers Hornsby (1915–1937) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1910s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Rogers Hornsby finished with 2,930 hits and 301 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 Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Rogers Hornsby's 1.010.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Hank Greenberg's .313.
- Who had more hits? Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Rogers Hornsby, with 1,584 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rogers Hornsby, with 68,443 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Rogers Hornsby's 1.
Hank Greenberg
Rogers Hornsby
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Rogers Hornsby. 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 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Rogers Hornsby |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 2,259 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 8,173 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,579 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 2,930 |
| Doubles | 379 | Leads: 541 |
| Triples | 71 | Leads: 169 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 331 | 301 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 1,584 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 1,038 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 679 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 135 |
| Batting Avg | .313 | Leads: .358 |
| On-Base % | .412 | Leads: .434 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .577 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | 1.010 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rogers Hornsby outpaces Hank Greenberg 68,443 to 43,523 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rogers Hornsby played 24 seasons to Hank Greenberg's 13, while Hank Greenberg carries the higher per-season figure (3,348 to 2,852). 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
Rogers Hornsby — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rogers Hornsby leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Hank Greenberg owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rogers Hornsby. PIV agrees: Rogers Hornsby 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 Rogers Hornsby careers compare
From 1930 through 1937, Hank Greenberg and Rogers Hornsby were in the majors together. Rogers Hornsby has the far longer record, 2,259 games against 1,394 across 13 and 24 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Hank Greenberg are home runs (331 to 301), slugging percentage (.605 to .577), and OPS (1.017 to 1.010). Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts); Rogers Hornsby walked more often than struck out (1,038 walks, 679 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Hank Greenberg's hits: 331 of 1,628 for Hank Greenberg, 301 of 2,930 for Rogers Hornsby.
Hank Greenberg vs Rogers Hornsby: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Rogers Hornsby?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rogers Hornsby leads Hank Greenberg in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Rogers Hornsby hit more home runs?
- Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Rogers Hornsby's 1.010.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Hank Greenberg's .313.
- Who had more hits?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.