Rogers Hornsby vs Babe Ruth: Career Stats Comparison
Babe Ruth 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; Babe Ruth played 1914–1935 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 Babe Ruth (1914–1935) — both broke in during the 1910s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Rogers Hornsby finished with 2,930 hits and 301 home runs; Babe Ruth finished with 2,873 hits and 714 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Babe Ruth, with 714 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS? Babe Ruth, with 1.164 to Rogers Hornsby's 1.010.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Babe Ruth's .342.
- Who had more hits? Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Babe Ruth's 2,873.
- Who drove in more runs? Babe Ruth, with 2,217 to Rogers Hornsby's 1,584.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Babe Ruth, with 111,979 career PIV to Rogers Hornsby's 68,443.
- Who won more championships? Babe Ruth, with 7 World Series titles to Rogers Hornsby's 1.
Rogers Hornsby
Babe Ruth
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rogers Hornsby and Babe Ruth. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rogers Hornsby | Babe Ruth |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,259 | Leads: 2,503 |
| At-Bats | 8,173 | Leads: 8,398 |
| Runs | 1,579 | Leads: 2,174 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,930 | 2,873 |
| Doubles | Leads: 541 | 506 |
| Triples | Leads: 169 | 136 |
| Home Runs | 301 | Leads: 714 |
| RBI | 1,584 | Leads: 2,217 |
| Walks | 1,038 | Leads: 2,062 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 679 | 1,330 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 135 | 123 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .358 | .342 |
| On-Base % | .434 | Leads: .474 |
| Slugging % | .577 | Leads: .690 |
| OPS | 1.010 | Leads: 1.164 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Babe Ruth outpaces Rogers Hornsby 111,979 to 68,443 — driven by per-season impact — 5,090 PIV per season to 2,852 — rather than by longevity, since Babe Ruth played 22 seasons to Rogers Hornsby's 24. 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
Babe Ruth — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Babe Ruth leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Rogers Hornsby owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Babe Ruth. PIV agrees: Babe Ruth 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 Babe Ruth careers compare
Rogers Hornsby and Babe Ruth were active at the same time between 1915 and 1935. With 2,259 games against 2,503 across 24 and 22 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 Babe Ruth walked more often than struck out (2,062 walks, 1,330 strikeouts). Babe Ruth is the more power-leaning hitter, with 714 of 2,873 hits leaving the park. Rogers Hornsby was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Babe Ruth holds the edge, .474 to .434.
Rogers Hornsby vs Babe Ruth: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rogers Hornsby or Babe Ruth?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Babe Ruth leads Rogers Hornsby in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rogers Hornsby or Babe Ruth hit more home runs?
- Babe Ruth, with 714 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Babe Ruth, with 1.164 to Rogers Hornsby's 1.010.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Babe Ruth's .342.
- Who had more hits?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Babe Ruth's 2,873.