Billy Herman vs Ernie Lombardi: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Herman has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Billy Herman played 1931–1947 as a hitter; Ernie Lombardi played 1931–1947 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
Billy Herman (1931–1947) and Ernie Lombardi (1931–1947) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Billy Herman finished with 2,345 hits and 47 home runs; Ernie Lombardi finished with 1,792 hits and 190 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Billy Herman's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ernie Lombardi, with .818 to Billy Herman's .774.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ernie Lombardi, with .306 to Billy Herman's .304.
- Who had more hits? Billy Herman, with 2,345 to Ernie Lombardi's 1,792.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Lombardi, with 990 to Billy Herman's 839.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ernie Lombardi, with 15,583 career PIV to Billy Herman's 12,844.
- Who won more championships? Ernie Lombardi, with 1 World Series title to Billy Herman's 0.
Billy Herman
Ernie Lombardi
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Billy Herman and Ernie Lombardi. 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 | Billy Herman | Ernie Lombardi |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,922 | 1,853 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,707 | 5,855 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,163 | 601 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,345 | 1,792 |
| Doubles | Leads: 486 | 277 |
| Triples | Leads: 82 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 47 | Leads: 190 |
| RBI | 839 | Leads: 990 |
| Walks | Leads: 737 | 430 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 428 | 262 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 67 | 8 |
| Batting Avg | .304 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .367 | .358 |
| Slugging % | .407 | Leads: .460 |
| OPS | .774 | Leads: .818 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ernie Lombardi leads Billy Herman 15,583 to 12,844 — driven by per-season impact — 917 PIV per season to 756 — rather than by longevity, since Ernie Lombardi played 17 seasons to Billy Herman's 17. 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).
Billy Herman — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ernie Lombardi — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Lombardi leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OPS, while Billy Herman owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ernie Lombardi. PIV agrees: Ernie Lombardi grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Billy Herman and Ernie Lombardi careers compare
From 1931 through 1947, Billy Herman and Ernie Lombardi were in the majors together. With 1,922 games against 1,853 across 17 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Billy Herman walked more often than struck out (737 walks, 428 strikeouts); Ernie Lombardi walked more often than struck out (430 walks, 262 strikeouts). Ernie Lombardi is the more power-leaning hitter, with 190 of 1,792 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Ernie Lombardi holds the edge, .460 to .407. Ernie Lombardi owns the better peak by OPS: .875 OPS in 1937 for Billy Herman against .918 OPS in 1935 for Ernie Lombardi.
Billy Herman vs Ernie Lombardi: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Billy Herman or Ernie Lombardi?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Herman leads Ernie Lombardi in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Billy Herman or Ernie Lombardi hit more home runs?
- Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Billy Herman's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ernie Lombardi, with .818 to Billy Herman's .774.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ernie Lombardi, with .306 to Billy Herman's .304.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Herman, with 2,345 to Ernie Lombardi's 1,792.