Hank Greenberg vs Willie McCovey: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Greenberg and Willie McCovey 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; Willie McCovey played 1959–1980 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 Willie McCovey (1959–1980) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Willie McCovey finished with 2,211 hits and 521 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie McCovey, with 521 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Willie McCovey's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits? Willie McCovey, with 2,211 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie McCovey, with 1,555 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie McCovey, with 47,331 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Willie McCovey's 0.
Hank Greenberg
Willie McCovey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Willie McCovey. 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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Willie McCovey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 2,588 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 8,197 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,229 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 2,211 |
| Doubles | Leads: 379 | 353 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 46 |
| Home Runs | 331 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 1,555 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 1,345 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 1,550 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 58 | 26 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .270 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .374 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie McCovey leads Hank Greenberg 47,331 to 43,523 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie McCovey played 23 seasons to Hank Greenberg's 13, while Hank Greenberg carries the higher per-season figure (3,348 to 2,058). 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
Willie McCovey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie McCovey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Hank Greenberg owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie McCovey. PIV agrees: Willie McCovey 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 Willie McCovey careers compare
No season is shared: Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947, Willie McCovey 1959–1980. Willie McCovey has the far longer record, 2,588 games against 1,394 across 13 and 23 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. At the plate, Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts), while Willie McCovey struck out more than walked (1,550 to 1,345). In slugging percentage, Hank Greenberg holds the edge, .605 to .515. On the peak-season lists, Hank Greenberg's best year is 1938 at 1.122 OPS and Willie McCovey's is 1969 at 1.108 OPS; Hank Greenberg has the stronger single season.
Hank Greenberg vs Willie McCovey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Hank Greenberg or Willie McCovey hit more home runs?
- Willie McCovey, with 521 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Willie McCovey's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie McCovey, with 2,211 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.