Hank Greenberg vs Rudy York: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Greenberg has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 as a hitter; Rudy York played 1934–1948 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 Rudy York (1934–1948) — both debuted in the 1930s. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Rudy York finished with 1,621 hits and 277 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Hank Greenberg, in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Rudy York's 277.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Rudy York's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Rudy York's .275.
- Who had more hits? Hank Greenberg, with 1,628 to Rudy York's 1,621.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Greenberg, with 1,276 to Rudy York's 1,152.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Greenberg, with 43,523 career PIV to Rudy York's 24,140.
Hank Greenberg
Rudy York
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Rudy York. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Rudy York |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,394 | 1,603 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,193 | 5,891 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,051 | 876 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,628 | 1,621 |
| Doubles | Leads: 379 | 291 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 52 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 331 | 277 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,276 | 1,152 |
| Walks | Leads: 852 | 792 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 867 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 58 | 38 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .275 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .362 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .483 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .845 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Greenberg outpaces Rudy York 43,523 to 24,140 — driven by per-season impact — 3,348 PIV per season to 1,857 — rather than by longevity, since Hank Greenberg played 13 seasons to Rudy York's 13. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Rudy York — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Hank Greenberg leads 12 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Rudy York leads 0: no scored category. 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 Rudy York careers compare
From 1934 through 1947, Hank Greenberg and Rudy York were in the majors together. With 1,394 games against 1,603 across 13 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Hank Greenberg leads every scored row of the table. Plate discipline differs: Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts), but Rudy York struck out more than walked (867 to 792). Hank Greenberg's slugging percentage of .605 tops Rudy York's .483. Best seasons: 1938 for Hank Greenberg (1.122 OPS, 58 HR, 146 RBI, .315 avg) and 1937 for Rudy York (1.026 OPS, 35 HR, 103 RBI, .307 avg).
Hank Greenberg vs Rudy York: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Rudy York?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Greenberg leads Rudy York in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Rudy York hit more home runs?
- Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Rudy York's 277.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Rudy York's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Rudy York's .275.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1,628 to Rudy York's 1,621.