Hank Greenberg vs Mel Ott: Career Stats Comparison
Mel Ott 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; Mel Ott played 1926–1947 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 Mel Ott (1926–1947) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Mel Ott finished with 2,876 hits and 511 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mel Ott, with 511 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Mel Ott's .947.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Mel Ott's .304.
- Who had more hits? Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Mel Ott, with 1,860 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mel Ott, with 64,873 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Mel Ott's 1.
Hank Greenberg
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Mel Ott. 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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Mel Ott |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 2,730 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 9,456 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,859 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 2,876 |
| Doubles | 379 | Leads: 488 |
| Triples | 71 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 331 | Leads: 511 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 1,860 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 1,708 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 896 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 89 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .304 |
| On-Base % | .412 | Leads: .414 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .533 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .947 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mel Ott outpaces Hank Greenberg 64,873 to 43,523 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Mel Ott played 22 seasons to Hank Greenberg's 13, while Hank Greenberg carries the higher per-season figure (3,348 to 2,949). 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
Mel Ott — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mel Ott leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Hank Greenberg owns batting average and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mel Ott. PIV agrees: Mel Ott 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 Mel Ott careers compare
The careers of Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) and Mel Ott (1926–1947) overlapped from 1930 to 1947, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 1,394 games of Hank Greenberg with 2,730 of Mel Ott across 13 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Hank Greenberg are batting average (.313 to .304), slugging percentage (.605 to .533), and OPS (1.017 to .947). Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts); Mel Ott walked more often than struck out (1,708 walks, 896 strikeouts). Hank Greenberg's slugging percentage of .605 tops Mel Ott's .533.
Hank Greenberg vs Mel Ott: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Mel Ott?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mel Ott leads Hank Greenberg in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Mel Ott hit more home runs?
- Mel Ott, with 511 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Mel Ott's .947.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Mel Ott's .304.
- Who had more hits?
- Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.