Harry Heilmann vs Babe Ruth: Career Stats Comparison
Babe Ruth has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Harry Heilmann played 1914–1932 as a hitter; Babe Ruth played 1914–1935 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
Harry Heilmann (1914–1932) and Babe Ruth (1914–1935) — both debuted in the 1910s. Harry Heilmann finished with 2,660 hits and 183 home runs; Babe Ruth finished with 2,873 hits and 714 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Babe Ruth, in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Babe Ruth, with 714 to Harry Heilmann's 183.
- Who had the higher OPS? Babe Ruth, with 1.164 to Harry Heilmann's .930.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .342.
- Who had more hits? Babe Ruth, with 2,873 to Harry Heilmann's 2,660.
- Who drove in more runs? Babe Ruth, with 2,217 to Harry Heilmann's 1,539.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Babe Ruth, with 111,979 career PIV to Harry Heilmann's 46,791.
Harry Heilmann
Babe Ruth
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harry Heilmann and Babe Ruth. 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 | Harry Heilmann | Babe Ruth |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,148 | 2,503 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,787 | 8,398 |
| Runs | 1,291 | Leads: 2,174 |
| Hits | 2,660 | Leads: 2,873 |
| Doubles | Leads: 542 | 506 |
| Triples | Leads: 151 | 136 |
| Home Runs | 183 | Leads: 714 |
| RBI | 1,539 | Leads: 2,217 |
| Walks | 856 | Leads: 2,062 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 550 | 1,330 |
| Stolen Bases | 113 | Leads: 123 |
| Batting Avg | .342 | Leads: .342 |
| On-Base % | .410 | Leads: .474 |
| Slugging % | .520 | Leads: .690 |
| OPS | .930 | Leads: 1.164 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Babe Ruth outpaces Harry Heilmann 111,979 to 46,791 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,090 PIV per season to 2,752, across 22 seasons to 17. 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).
Harry Heilmann — top 3 seasons by OPS
Babe Ruth — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Babe Ruth leads 10 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, home runs, RBI, and others. Harry Heilmann leads 2: doubles and triples. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Babe Ruth. PIV agrees: Babe Ruth grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harry Heilmann and Babe Ruth careers compare
From 1914 through 1932, Harry Heilmann and Babe Ruth were in the majors together. With 2,148 games against 2,503 across 17 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Harry Heilmann comes out ahead, it is in doubles (542 to 506) and triples (151 to 136). Harry Heilmann walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 550 strikeouts); Babe Ruth walked more often than struck out (2,062 walks, 1,330 strikeouts). Babe Ruth is the more power-leaning hitter, with 714 of 2,873 hits leaving the park. Harry Heilmann was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Babe Ruth's slugging percentage of .690 tops Harry Heilmann's .520.
Harry Heilmann vs Babe Ruth: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harry Heilmann or Babe Ruth?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Babe Ruth leads Harry Heilmann in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Harry Heilmann or Babe Ruth hit more home runs?
- Babe Ruth, with 714 to Harry Heilmann's 183.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Babe Ruth, with 1.164 to Harry Heilmann's .930.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .342.
- Who had more hits?
- Babe Ruth, with 2,873 to Harry Heilmann's 2,660.