Hank Greenberg vs Willie Wells: 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; Willie Wells played ?–1948 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 Wells (?–1948) — their careers are worth a careful side-by-side. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Willie Wells finished with 1,319 hits and 145 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 Willie Wells's 145.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Willie Wells's .943.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Wells, with .327 to Hank Greenberg's .313.
- Who had more hits? Hank Greenberg, with 1,628 to Willie Wells's 1,319.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Greenberg, with 1,276 to Willie Wells's 875.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Greenberg, with 43,523 career PIV to Willie Wells's 21,549.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Willie Wells's 0.
Hank Greenberg
Willie Wells
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Willie Wells. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Willie Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,394 | 1,068 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,193 | 4,030 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,051 | 956 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,628 | 1,319 |
| Doubles | Leads: 379 | 267 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 70 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 331 | 145 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,276 | 875 |
| Walks | Leads: 852 | 497 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 10 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 176 |
| Batting Avg | .313 | Leads: .327 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .407 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .536 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .943 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Greenberg outpaces Willie Wells 43,523 to 21,549 — driven by per-season impact — 3,348 PIV per season to 798 — rather than by longevity, since Hank Greenberg played 13 seasons to Willie Wells's 27. 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 Wells — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Greenberg leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Willie Wells owns stolen bases and batting average. 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 Willie Wells careers compare
Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) was finished before Willie Wells (?–1948) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 1,394 games against 1,068 across 13 and 27 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Willie Wells's edges on the table are stolen bases (176 to 58) and batting average (.327 to .313). Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts); Willie Wells walked more often than struck out (497 walks, 10 strikeouts). Hank Greenberg is the more power-leaning hitter, with 331 of 1,628 hits leaving the park.
Hank Greenberg vs Willie Wells: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Willie Wells?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Greenberg leads Willie Wells in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Willie Wells hit more home runs?
- Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Willie Wells's 145.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Willie Wells's .943.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Wells, with .327 to Hank Greenberg's .313.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1,628 to Willie Wells's 1,319.