Gabby Hartnett vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Simmons has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 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 Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Gabby Hartnett finished with 1,912 hits and 236 home runs; Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ted Simmons, with 248 to Gabby Hartnett's 236.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gabby Hartnett, with .858 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Gabby Hartnett, with .297 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Gabby Hartnett's 1,912.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Gabby Hartnett's 1,179.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Gabby Hartnett, with 20,627 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
Gabby Hartnett
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gabby Hartnett and Ted 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, and the 1920s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Gabby Hartnett | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,990 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 6,432 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | 867 | Leads: 1,074 |
| Hits | 1,912 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 396 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 64 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 236 | Leads: 248 |
| RBI | 1,179 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 703 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 697 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 28 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .370 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .489 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .858 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gabby Hartnett edges Ted Simmons 20,627 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 1,031 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Gabby Hartnett played 20 seasons to Ted Simmons's 21. 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
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gabby Hartnett leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Ted Simmons owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gabby Hartnett. PIV agrees: Gabby Hartnett 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 Ted Simmons careers compare
Gabby Hartnett (1922–1941) was finished before Ted Simmons (1968–1988) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 1,990 games for Gabby Hartnett and 2,456 for Ted Simmons across 20 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Gabby Hartnett walked more often than struck out (703 walks, 697 strikeouts), and Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). In slugging percentage, Gabby Hartnett holds the edge, .489 to .437. Best seasons: 1930 for Gabby Hartnett (1.034 OPS, 37 HR, 122 RBI, .339 avg) and 1977 for Ted Simmons (.908 OPS, 21 HR, 95 RBI, .318 avg).
Gabby Hartnett vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gabby Hartnett or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Gabby Hartnett in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gabby Hartnett or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ted Simmons, with 248 to Gabby Hartnett's 236.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gabby Hartnett, with .858 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Gabby Hartnett, with .297 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Gabby Hartnett's 1,912.