Monte Irvin vs Paul Waner: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Waner has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Monte Irvin played 1949–1956 as a hitter; Paul Waner played 1926–1945 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
Monte Irvin (1949–1956) and Paul Waner (1926–1945) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Monte Irvin finished with 1,091 hits and 140 home runs; Paul Waner finished with 3,152 hits and 113 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Monte Irvin, with 140 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Monte Irvin, with .886 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Waner, with .333 to Monte Irvin's .306.
- Who had more hits? Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Monte Irvin's 1,091.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Waner, with 1,309 to Monte Irvin's 693.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Waner, with 40,296 career PIV to Monte Irvin's 15,659.
- Who won more championships? Monte Irvin, with 2 World Series titles to Paul Waner's 0.
Monte Irvin
Paul Waner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Monte Irvin and Paul Waner. 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 1940s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Monte Irvin | Paul Waner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,055 | Leads: 2,549 |
| At-Bats | 3,570 | Leads: 9,459 |
| Runs | 593 | Leads: 1,627 |
| Hits | 1,091 | Leads: 3,152 |
| Doubles | 159 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 46 | Leads: 191 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 140 | 113 |
| RBI | 693 | Leads: 1,309 |
| Walks | 484 | Leads: 1,091 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 231 | 376 |
| Stolen Bases | 54 | Leads: 104 |
| Batting Avg | .306 | Leads: .333 |
| On-Base % | .392 | Leads: .404 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .494 | .473 |
| OPS | Leads: .886 | .878 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Waner outpaces Monte Irvin 40,296 to 15,659 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,832 PIV per season to 870, across 22 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).
Monte Irvin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Waner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Waner leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Monte Irvin owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Waner. PIV agrees: Paul Waner grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Monte Irvin and Paul Waner careers compare
Paul Waner (1926–1945) was finished before Monte Irvin (1949–1956) arrived, so they never shared a league. Paul Waner has the far longer record, 2,549 games against 1,055 across 18 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Monte Irvin's edges on the table are home runs (140 to 113), slugging percentage (.494 to .473), and OPS (.886 to .878). Monte Irvin walked more often than struck out (484 walks, 231 strikeouts); Paul Waner walked more often than struck out (1,091 walks, 376 strikeouts). Monte Irvin is the more power-leaning hitter, with 140 of 1,091 hits leaving the park.
Monte Irvin vs Paul Waner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Monte Irvin or Paul Waner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Waner leads Monte Irvin in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Monte Irvin or Paul Waner hit more home runs?
- Monte Irvin, with 140 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Monte Irvin, with .886 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Waner, with .333 to Monte Irvin's .306.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Monte Irvin's 1,091.