Billy Herman vs Arky Vaughan: Career Stats Comparison
Arky Vaughan has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Arky Vaughan played 1932–1948 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 Arky Vaughan (1932–1948) — 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; Arky Vaughan finished with 2,103 hits and 96 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Arky Vaughan, with 96 to Billy Herman's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS? Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Billy Herman's .774.
- Who had the higher batting average? Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Billy Herman's .304.
- Who had more hits? Billy Herman, with 2,345 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.
- Who drove in more runs? Arky Vaughan, with 926 to Billy Herman's 839.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Arky Vaughan, with 28,350 career PIV to Billy Herman's 12,844.
Billy Herman
Arky Vaughan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Billy Herman and Arky Vaughan. 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 | Arky Vaughan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,922 | 1,817 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,707 | 6,622 |
| Runs | 1,163 | Leads: 1,173 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,345 | 2,103 |
| Doubles | Leads: 486 | 356 |
| Triples | 82 | Leads: 128 |
| Home Runs | 47 | Leads: 96 |
| RBI | 839 | Leads: 926 |
| Walks | 737 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 428 | 276 |
| Stolen Bases | 67 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | .304 | Leads: .318 |
| On-Base % | .367 | Leads: .406 |
| Slugging % | .407 | Leads: .453 |
| OPS | .774 | Leads: .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Arky Vaughan outpaces Billy Herman 28,350 to 12,844 — driven by per-season impact — 2,025 PIV per season to 756 — rather than by longevity, since Arky Vaughan played 14 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
Arky Vaughan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Arky Vaughan leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Billy Herman owns hits. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Arky Vaughan. PIV agrees: Arky Vaughan 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 Arky Vaughan careers compare
Billy Herman and Arky Vaughan were active at the same time between 1932 and 1947. With 1,922 games against 1,817 across 17 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Billy Herman are games (1,922 to 1,817), at-bats (7,707 to 6,622), and hits (2,345 to 2,103). Billy Herman walked more often than struck out (737 walks, 428 strikeouts); Arky Vaughan walked more often than struck out (937 walks, 276 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Arky Vaughan's hits: 47 of 2,345 for Billy Herman, 96 of 2,103 for Arky Vaughan.
Billy Herman vs Arky Vaughan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Billy Herman or Arky Vaughan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Arky Vaughan leads Billy Herman in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Billy Herman or Arky Vaughan hit more home runs?
- Arky Vaughan, with 96 to Billy Herman's 47.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Billy Herman's .774.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Billy Herman's .304.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Herman, with 2,345 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.