Hank Greenberg vs Jackie Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Greenberg has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Jackie Robinson played 1947–1956 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 Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Jackie Robinson finished with 1,568 hits and 141 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 Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Jackie Robinson's .887.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .313.
- Who had more hits? Hank Greenberg, with 1,628 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Greenberg, with 1,276 to Jackie Robinson's 764.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Greenberg, with 43,523 career PIV to Jackie Robinson's 25,382.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Jackie Robinson's 1.
Hank Greenberg
Jackie Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Jackie Robinson. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Jackie Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 1,418 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,193 | 5,006 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,051 | 974 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,628 | 1,568 |
| Doubles | Leads: 379 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 331 | 141 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,276 | 764 |
| Walks | Leads: 852 | 756 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 291 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 203 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .313 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .410 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .477 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .887 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Greenberg outpaces Jackie Robinson 43,523 to 25,382 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,348 PIV per season to 2,307, across 13 seasons to 11. 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
Jackie Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Greenberg leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jackie Robinson owns 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 Jackie Robinson careers compare
From 1947 through 1947, Hank Greenberg and Jackie Robinson were in the majors together. With 1,394 games against 1,418 across 13 and 11 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Jackie Robinson comes out ahead, it is in games (1,418 to 1,394) and stolen bases (203 to 58). At the plate, Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts), and Jackie Robinson walked more often than struck out (756 walks, 291 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Hank Greenberg's hits: 331 of 1,628 for Hank Greenberg, 141 of 1,568 for Jackie Robinson.
Hank Greenberg vs Jackie Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Jackie Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Greenberg leads Jackie Robinson in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Jackie Robinson hit more home runs?
- Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Jackie Robinson's .887.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .313.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1,628 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.