Gabby Hartnett vs Al Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Al Simmons has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Gabby Hartnett played 1922–1941 as a hitter; Al Simmons played 1924–1944 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
Gabby Hartnett (1922–1941) and Al Simmons (1924–1944) — both broke in during the 1920s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Gabby Hartnett finished with 1,912 hits and 236 home runs; Al Simmons finished with 2,927 hits and 307 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Al Simmons, with 307 to Gabby Hartnett's 236.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Simmons, with .915 to Gabby Hartnett's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Simmons, with .334 to Gabby Hartnett's .297.
- Who had more hits? Al Simmons, with 2,927 to Gabby Hartnett's 1,912.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Simmons, with 1,827 to Gabby Hartnett's 1,179.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Simmons, with 40,529 career PIV to Gabby Hartnett's 20,627.
- Who won more championships? Al Simmons, with 2 World Series titles to Gabby Hartnett's 0.
Gabby Hartnett
Al Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gabby Hartnett and Al Simmons. 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 | Gabby Hartnett | Al Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,990 | Leads: 2,215 |
| At-Bats | 6,432 | Leads: 8,759 |
| Runs | 867 | Leads: 1,507 |
| Hits | 1,912 | Leads: 2,927 |
| Doubles | 396 | Leads: 539 |
| Triples | 64 | Leads: 149 |
| Home Runs | 236 | Leads: 307 |
| RBI | 1,179 | Leads: 1,827 |
| Walks | Leads: 703 | 615 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 697 | 737 |
| Stolen Bases | 28 | Leads: 88 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .334 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .489 | Leads: .535 |
| OPS | .858 | Leads: .915 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Simmons outpaces Gabby Hartnett 40,529 to 20,627 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,930 PIV per season to 1,031, across 21 seasons to 20. 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).
Gabby Hartnett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Simmons leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Gabby Hartnett owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Simmons. PIV agrees: Al Simmons grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gabby Hartnett and Al Simmons careers compare
From 1924 through 1941, Gabby Hartnett and Al Simmons were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,990 games for Gabby Hartnett and 2,215 for Al Simmons across 20 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Gabby Hartnett's edges on the table are walks (703 to 615). At the plate, Gabby Hartnett walked more often than struck out (703 walks, 697 strikeouts), while Al Simmons struck out more than walked (737 to 615). On the peak-season lists, Gabby Hartnett's best year is 1930 at 1.034 OPS and Al Simmons's is 1930 at 1.130 OPS; Al Simmons has the stronger single season.
Gabby Hartnett vs Al Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gabby Hartnett or Al Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Simmons leads Gabby Hartnett in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gabby Hartnett or Al Simmons hit more home runs?
- Al Simmons, with 307 to Gabby Hartnett's 236.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Simmons, with .915 to Gabby Hartnett's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Simmons, with .334 to Gabby Hartnett's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Simmons, with 2,927 to Gabby Hartnett's 1,912.