Rogers Hornsby vs Bid McPhee: 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; Bid McPhee played 1882–1899 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 Bid McPhee (1882–1899) — they broke in during the 1910s and the 1880s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rogers Hornsby finished with 2,930 hits and 301 home runs; Bid McPhee finished with 2,258 hits and 53 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rogers Hornsby, with 301 to Bid McPhee's 53.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Bid McPhee's .728.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Bid McPhee's .272.
- Who had more hits? Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Bid McPhee's 2,258.
- Who drove in more runs? Rogers Hornsby, with 1,584 to Bid McPhee's 1,072.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rogers Hornsby, with 68,443 career PIV to Bid McPhee's 12,342.
- Who won more championships? Rogers Hornsby, with 1 World Series title to Bid McPhee's 0.
Rogers Hornsby
Bid McPhee
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rogers Hornsby and Bid McPhee. 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 1880s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rogers Hornsby | Bid McPhee |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,259 | 2,138 |
| At-Bats | 8,173 | Leads: 8,304 |
| Runs | 1,579 | Leads: 1,684 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,930 | 2,258 |
| Doubles | Leads: 541 | 303 |
| Triples | 169 | Leads: 189 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 301 | 53 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,072 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,038 | 982 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 679 | 377 |
| Stolen Bases | 135 | Leads: 568 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .358 | .272 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .434 | .355 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .577 | .373 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.010 | .728 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rogers Hornsby outpaces Bid McPhee 68,443 to 12,342 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,852 PIV per season to 686, 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
Bid McPhee — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rogers Hornsby leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Bid McPhee owns 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 Bid McPhee careers compare
Bid McPhee (1882–1899) was finished before Rogers Hornsby (1915–1937) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,259 games against 2,138 across 24 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Bid McPhee's edges on the table are at-bats (8,304 to 8,173), runs (1,684 to 1,579), and triples (189 to 169). At the plate, Rogers Hornsby walked more often than struck out (1,038 walks, 679 strikeouts), and Bid McPhee walked more often than struck out (982 walks, 377 strikeouts). Rogers Hornsby is the more power-leaning hitter, with 301 of 2,930 hits leaving the park.
Rogers Hornsby vs Bid McPhee: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rogers Hornsby or Bid McPhee?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rogers Hornsby leads Bid McPhee in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rogers Hornsby or Bid McPhee hit more home runs?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 301 to Bid McPhee's 53.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Bid McPhee's .728.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Bid McPhee's .272.
- Who had more hits?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Bid McPhee's 2,258.