Gabby Hartnett vs Hack Wilson: Career Stats Comparison
Hack Wilson 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; Hack Wilson played 1923–1934 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 Hack Wilson (1923–1934) — 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; Hack Wilson finished with 1,461 hits and 244 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hack Wilson, with 244 to Gabby Hartnett's 236.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hack Wilson, with .940 to Gabby Hartnett's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hack Wilson, with .307 to Gabby Hartnett's .297.
- Who had more hits? Gabby Hartnett, with 1,912 to Hack Wilson's 1,461.
- Who drove in more runs? Gabby Hartnett, with 1,179 to Hack Wilson's 1,063.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hack Wilson, with 27,235 career PIV to Gabby Hartnett's 20,627.
Gabby Hartnett
Hack Wilson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gabby Hartnett and Hack Wilson. 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 | Hack Wilson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,990 | 1,348 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,432 | 4,760 |
| Runs | 867 | Leads: 884 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,912 | 1,461 |
| Doubles | Leads: 396 | 266 |
| Triples | 64 | Leads: 67 |
| Home Runs | 236 | Leads: 244 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,179 | 1,063 |
| Walks | Leads: 703 | 674 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 697 | 713 |
| Stolen Bases | 28 | Leads: 52 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .307 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .395 |
| Slugging % | .489 | Leads: .545 |
| OPS | .858 | Leads: .940 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hack Wilson leads Gabby Hartnett 27,235 to 20,627 — driven by per-season impact — 2,095 PIV per season to 1,031 — rather than by longevity, since Hack Wilson played 13 seasons to Gabby Hartnett's 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
Hack Wilson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hack Wilson leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Gabby Hartnett owns hits and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hack Wilson. PIV agrees: Hack Wilson 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 Hack Wilson careers compare
The careers of Gabby Hartnett (1922–1941) and Hack Wilson (1923–1934) overlapped from 1923 to 1934, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,990 games for Gabby Hartnett and 1,348 for Hack Wilson across 20 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Gabby Hartnett walked more often than struck out (703 walks, 697 strikeouts), but Hack Wilson struck out more than walked (713 to 674). Home runs make up a larger share of Hack Wilson's hits: 236 of 1,912 for Gabby Hartnett, 244 of 1,461 for Hack Wilson. Hack Wilson's on-base percentage of .395 tops Gabby Hartnett's .370.
Gabby Hartnett vs Hack Wilson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gabby Hartnett or Hack Wilson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hack Wilson leads Gabby Hartnett in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gabby Hartnett or Hack Wilson hit more home runs?
- Hack Wilson, with 244 to Gabby Hartnett's 236.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hack Wilson, with .940 to Gabby Hartnett's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hack Wilson, with .307 to Gabby Hartnett's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Gabby Hartnett, with 1,912 to Hack Wilson's 1,461.