Rogers Hornsby vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Rogers Hornsby 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). Rogers Hornsby played 1915–1937 as a hitter; Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 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 Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — 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; Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Rogers Hornsby, with 1,584 to Eddie Mathews's 1,453.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rogers Hornsby, with 68,443 career PIV to Eddie Mathews's 45,555.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Rogers Hornsby's 1.
Rogers Hornsby
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rogers Hornsby and Eddie Mathews. 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 | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,259 | Leads: 2,391 |
| At-Bats | 8,173 | Leads: 8,537 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,579 | 1,509 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,930 | 2,315 |
| Doubles | Leads: 541 | 354 |
| Triples | Leads: 169 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 301 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,453 |
| Walks | 1,038 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 679 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 135 | 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .358 | .271 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .434 | .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .577 | .509 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.010 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rogers Hornsby outpaces Eddie Mathews 68,443 to 45,555 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,852 PIV per season to 2,531, across 24 seasons to 18. 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
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rogers Hornsby leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Eddie Mathews owns home runs. 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 Eddie Mathews careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Rogers Hornsby's ended in 1937, and Eddie Mathews debuted in 1952. With 2,259 games against 2,391 across 24 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Eddie Mathews's edges on the table are games (2,391 to 2,259), at-bats (8,537 to 8,173), and home runs (512 to 301). At the plate, Rogers Hornsby walked more often than struck out (1,038 walks, 679 strikeouts), while Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Eddie Mathews is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,315 hits leaving the park.
Rogers Hornsby vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rogers Hornsby or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rogers Hornsby leads Eddie Mathews in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rogers Hornsby or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.