Hank Greenberg vs Honus Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Honus Wagner has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Honus Wagner played 1897–1917 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 Honus Wagner (1897–1917) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1890s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Honus Wagner finished with 3,420 hits and 101 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 Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Honus Wagner's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average? Honus Wagner, with .328 to Hank Greenberg's .313.
- Who had more hits? Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Honus Wagner, with 1,733 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Honus Wagner, with 59,177 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Honus Wagner's 1.
Hank Greenberg
Honus Wagner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Honus Wagner. 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 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Honus Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 2,794 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 10,439 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,739 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 3,420 |
| Doubles | 379 | Leads: 643 |
| Triples | 71 | Leads: 252 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 331 | 101 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 1,733 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 963 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 735 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 723 |
| Batting Avg | .313 | Leads: .328 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .391 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .467 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .858 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Honus Wagner outpaces Hank Greenberg 59,177 to 43,523 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Honus Wagner played 21 seasons to Hank Greenberg's 13, while Hank Greenberg carries the higher per-season figure (3,348 to 2,818). 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
Honus Wagner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Honus Wagner leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Hank Greenberg owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Honus Wagner. PIV agrees: Honus Wagner 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 Honus Wagner careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Honus Wagner's ended in 1917, and Hank Greenberg debuted in 1930. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Hank Greenberg appeared in 1,394 games to Honus Wagner's 2,794. Hank Greenberg's edges on the table are home runs (331 to 101), on-base percentage (.412 to .391), and slugging percentage (.605 to .467). Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts); Honus Wagner walked more often than struck out (963 walks, 735 strikeouts). Hank Greenberg is the more power-leaning hitter, with 331 of 1,628 hits leaving the park.
Hank Greenberg vs Honus Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Honus Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Honus Wagner leads Hank Greenberg in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Honus Wagner hit more home runs?
- Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Honus Wagner's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Honus Wagner, with .328 to Hank Greenberg's .313.
- Who had more hits?
- Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.