Rogers Hornsby vs Lou Whitaker: 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; Lou Whitaker played 1977–1995 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 Lou Whitaker (1977–1995) — they broke in during the 1910s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rogers Hornsby finished with 2,930 hits and 301 home runs; Lou Whitaker finished with 2,369 hits and 244 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 Lou Whitaker's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Lou Whitaker's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Lou Whitaker's .276.
- Who had more hits? Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Lou Whitaker's 2,369.
- Who drove in more runs? Rogers Hornsby, with 1,584 to Lou Whitaker's 1,084.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rogers Hornsby, with 68,443 career PIV to Lou Whitaker's 19,796.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Rogers Hornsby
Lou Whitaker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rogers Hornsby and Lou Whitaker. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rogers Hornsby | Lou Whitaker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,259 | Leads: 2,390 |
| At-Bats | 8,173 | Leads: 8,570 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,579 | 1,386 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,930 | 2,369 |
| Doubles | Leads: 541 | 420 |
| Triples | Leads: 169 | 65 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 301 | 244 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,084 |
| Walks | 1,038 | Leads: 1,197 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 679 | 1,099 |
| Stolen Bases | 135 | Leads: 143 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .358 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .434 | .363 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .577 | .426 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.010 | .789 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rogers Hornsby outpaces Lou Whitaker 68,443 to 19,796 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,852 PIV per season to 1,042, across 24 seasons to 19. 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
Lou Whitaker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rogers Hornsby leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Lou Whitaker owns 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 Lou Whitaker careers compare
Rogers Hornsby (1915–1937) was finished before Lou Whitaker (1977–1995) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,259 games against 2,390 across 24 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Lou Whitaker's edges on the table are games (2,390 to 2,259), at-bats (8,570 to 8,173), and walks (1,197 to 1,038). Rogers Hornsby walked more often than struck out (1,038 walks, 679 strikeouts); Lou Whitaker walked more often than struck out (1,197 walks, 1,099 strikeouts). On the bases, Lou Whitaker stole more often per game played (135 steals in 2,259 games for Rogers Hornsby, 143 in 2,390 for Lou Whitaker). Rogers Hornsby's slugging percentage of .577 tops Lou Whitaker's .426.
Rogers Hornsby vs Lou Whitaker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rogers Hornsby or Lou Whitaker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rogers Hornsby leads Lou Whitaker in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rogers Hornsby or Lou Whitaker hit more home runs?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 301 to Lou Whitaker's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Lou Whitaker's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Lou Whitaker's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Lou Whitaker's 2,369.