Harry Heilmann vs Hack Wilson: Career Stats Comparison
Harry Heilmann has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; 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
Harry Heilmann (1914–1932) and Hack Wilson (1923–1934) — they debuted in the 1910s and the 1920s respectively and share 10 seasons. Harry Heilmann finished with 2,660 hits and 183 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 leads the career comparison? Harry Heilmann, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Hack Wilson, with 244 to Harry Heilmann's 183.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hack Wilson, with .940 to Harry Heilmann's .930.
- Who had the higher batting average? Harry Heilmann, with .342 to Hack Wilson's .307.
- Who had more hits? Harry Heilmann, with 2,660 to Hack Wilson's 1,461.
- Who drove in more runs? Harry Heilmann, with 1,539 to Hack Wilson's 1,063.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harry Heilmann, with 46,791 career PIV to Hack Wilson's 27,235.
Harry Heilmann
Hack Wilson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harry Heilmann and Hack Wilson. 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 | Hack Wilson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,148 | 1,348 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,787 | 4,760 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,291 | 884 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,660 | 1,461 |
| Doubles | Leads: 542 | 266 |
| Triples | Leads: 151 | 67 |
| Home Runs | 183 | Leads: 244 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,539 | 1,063 |
| Walks | Leads: 856 | 674 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 550 | 713 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 113 | 52 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .342 | .307 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .410 | .395 |
| Slugging % | .520 | Leads: .545 |
| OPS | .930 | Leads: .940 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harry Heilmann outpaces Hack Wilson 46,791 to 27,235 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,752 PIV per season to 2,270, across 17 seasons to 12. 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
Hack Wilson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Harry Heilmann leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Hack Wilson leads 3: home runs, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harry Heilmann. PIV agrees: Harry Heilmann 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 Hack Wilson careers compare
The careers of Harry Heilmann (1914–1932) and Hack Wilson (1923–1934) overlapped from 1923 to 1932, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 2,148 games of Harry Heilmann with 1,348 of Hack Wilson across 17 and 12 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Hack Wilson's edges on the table are home runs (244 to 183), slugging percentage (.545 to .520), and OPS (.940 to .930). Plate discipline differs: Harry Heilmann walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 550 strikeouts), but Hack Wilson struck out more than walked (713 to 674).
Harry Heilmann vs Hack Wilson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harry Heilmann or Hack Wilson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harry Heilmann leads Hack Wilson in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Harry Heilmann or Hack Wilson hit more home runs?
- Hack Wilson, with 244 to Harry Heilmann's 183.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hack Wilson, with .940 to Harry Heilmann's .930.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Harry Heilmann, with .342 to Hack Wilson's .307.
- Who had more hits?
- Harry Heilmann, with 2,660 to Hack Wilson's 1,461.