Gil Hodges vs Harmon Killebrew: Career Stats Comparison
Harmon Killebrew has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Gil Hodges played 1943–1963 as a hitter; Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975 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
Gil Hodges (1943–1963) and Harmon Killebrew (1954–1975) — they debuted in the 1940s and the 1950s respectively and share 10 seasons. Gil Hodges finished with 1,921 hits and 370 home runs; Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Harmon Killebrew, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Gil Hodges's 370.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Gil Hodges's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average? Gil Hodges, with .273 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Harmon Killebrew, with 2,086 to Gil Hodges's 1,921.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Gil Hodges's 1,274.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Gil Hodges's 24,928.
Gil Hodges
Harmon Killebrew
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gil Hodges and Harmon Killebrew. 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 | Gil Hodges | Harmon Killebrew |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,071 | 2,435 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,030 | 8,147 |
| Runs | 1,105 | Leads: 1,283 |
| Hits | 1,921 | Leads: 2,086 |
| Doubles | Leads: 295 | 290 |
| Triples | Leads: 48 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 370 | Leads: 573 |
| RBI | 1,274 | Leads: 1,584 |
| Walks | 943 | Leads: 1,559 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,137 | 1,699 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 63 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .273 | .256 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .487 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .846 | Leads: .884 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew outpaces Gil Hodges 48,240 to 24,928 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,193 PIV per season to 1,385, across 22 seasons to 18. 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).
Gil Hodges — top 3 seasons by OPS
Harmon Killebrew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Harmon Killebrew leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, home runs, RBI, and others. Gil Hodges leads 4: doubles, triples, stolen bases, and batting average. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harmon Killebrew. PIV agrees: Harmon Killebrew grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gil Hodges and Harmon Killebrew careers compare
Gil Hodges and Harmon Killebrew were active at the same time between 1954 and 1963. With 2,071 games against 2,435 across 18 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Gil Hodges comes out ahead, it is in doubles (295 to 290), triples (48 to 24), and stolen bases (63 to 19). Gil Hodges struck out more than walked (1,137 to 943); Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559). Harmon Killebrew is the more power-leaning hitter, with 573 of 2,086 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Harmon Killebrew holds the edge, .376 to .359.
Gil Hodges vs Harmon Killebrew: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gil Hodges or Harmon Killebrew?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harmon Killebrew leads Gil Hodges in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Gil Hodges or Harmon Killebrew hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Gil Hodges's 370.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Gil Hodges's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Gil Hodges, with .273 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 2,086 to Gil Hodges's 1,921.