Rogers Hornsby vs Mickey Mantle: Career Stats Comparison
Rogers Hornsby 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). Rogers Hornsby played 1915–1937 as a hitter; Mickey Mantle played 1951–1968 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
Rogers Hornsby (1915–1937) and Mickey Mantle (1951–1968) — they broke in during the 1910s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rogers Hornsby finished with 2,930 hits and 301 home runs; Mickey Mantle finished with 2,415 hits and 536 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Mickey Mantle's .977.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Mickey Mantle's .298.
- Who had more hits? Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Mickey Mantle's 2,415.
- Who drove in more runs? Rogers Hornsby, with 1,584 to Mickey Mantle's 1,509.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rogers Hornsby, with 68,443 career PIV to Mickey Mantle's 67,905.
- Who won more championships? Mickey Mantle, with 7 World Series titles to Rogers Hornsby's 1.
Rogers Hornsby
Mickey Mantle
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rogers Hornsby and Mickey Mantle. 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, and the 1910s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rogers Hornsby | Mickey Mantle |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,259 | Leads: 2,401 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,173 | 8,102 |
| Runs | 1,579 | Leads: 1,677 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,930 | 2,415 |
| Doubles | Leads: 541 | 344 |
| Triples | Leads: 169 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 301 | Leads: 536 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,509 |
| Walks | 1,038 | Leads: 1,733 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 679 | 1,710 |
| Stolen Bases | 135 | Leads: 153 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .358 | .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .434 | .421 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .577 | .557 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.010 | .977 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rogers Hornsby edges Mickey Mantle 68,443 to 67,905 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rogers Hornsby played 24 seasons to Mickey Mantle's 18, while Mickey Mantle carries the higher per-season figure (3,773 to 2,852). 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).
Rogers Hornsby — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mickey Mantle — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rogers Hornsby leads in hits, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Mickey Mantle owns home runs, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rogers Hornsby. PIV agrees: Rogers Hornsby grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rogers Hornsby and Mickey Mantle careers compare
No season is shared: Rogers Hornsby played 1915–1937, Mickey Mantle 1951–1968. With 2,259 games against 2,401 across 24 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Rogers Hornsby walked more often than struck out (1,038 walks, 679 strikeouts), and Mickey Mantle walked more often than struck out (1,733 walks, 1,710 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mickey Mantle's hits: 301 of 2,930 for Rogers Hornsby, 536 of 2,415 for Mickey Mantle. Mickey Mantle was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Rogers Hornsby's slugging percentage of .577 tops Mickey Mantle's .557.
Rogers Hornsby vs Mickey Mantle: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rogers Hornsby or Mickey Mantle?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rogers Hornsby leads Mickey Mantle in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rogers Hornsby or Mickey Mantle hit more home runs?
- Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Mickey Mantle's .977.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Mickey Mantle's .298.
- Who had more hits?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Mickey Mantle's 2,415.