Rogers Hornsby vs Joe Morgan: 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; Joe Morgan played 1963–1984 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 Joe Morgan (1963–1984) — they broke in during the 1910s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rogers Hornsby finished with 2,930 hits and 301 home runs; Joe Morgan finished with 2,517 hits and 268 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 Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits? Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Joe Morgan's 2,517.
- Who drove in more runs? Rogers Hornsby, with 1,584 to Joe Morgan's 1,133.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rogers Hornsby, with 68,443 career PIV to Joe Morgan's 39,255.
- Who won more championships? Joe Morgan, with 2 World Series titles to Rogers Hornsby's 1.
Rogers Hornsby
Joe Morgan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rogers Hornsby and Joe Morgan. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rogers Hornsby | Joe Morgan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,259 | Leads: 2,649 |
| At-Bats | 8,173 | Leads: 9,277 |
| Runs | 1,579 | Leads: 1,650 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,930 | 2,517 |
| Doubles | Leads: 541 | 449 |
| Triples | Leads: 169 | 96 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 301 | 268 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,133 |
| Walks | 1,038 | Leads: 1,865 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 679 | 1,015 |
| Stolen Bases | 135 | Leads: 689 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .358 | .271 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .434 | .392 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .577 | .427 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.010 | .819 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rogers Hornsby outpaces Joe Morgan 68,443 to 39,255 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,852 PIV per season to 1,784, across 24 seasons to 22. 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
Joe Morgan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rogers Hornsby leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Joe Morgan 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 Joe Morgan careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Rogers Hornsby's ended in 1937, and Joe Morgan debuted in 1963. The two careers are close in length, 2,259 games for Rogers Hornsby and 2,649 for Joe Morgan across 24 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Rogers Hornsby walked more often than struck out (1,038 walks, 679 strikeouts); Joe Morgan walked more often than struck out (1,865 walks, 1,015 strikeouts). On the bases, Joe Morgan stole more often per game played (135 steals in 2,259 games for Rogers Hornsby, 689 in 2,649 for Joe Morgan). Rogers Hornsby's on-base percentage of .434 tops Joe Morgan's .392.
Rogers Hornsby vs Joe Morgan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rogers Hornsby or Joe Morgan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rogers Hornsby leads Joe Morgan in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rogers Hornsby or Joe Morgan hit more home runs?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 301 to Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Joe Morgan's 2,517.