Ernie Lombardi vs Thurman Munson: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Lombardi 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). Ernie Lombardi played 1931–1947 as a hitter; Thurman Munson played 1969–1979 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
Ernie Lombardi (1931–1947) and Thurman Munson (1969–1979) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Lombardi finished with 1,792 hits and 190 home runs; Thurman Munson finished with 1,558 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? Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Thurman Munson's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ernie Lombardi, with .818 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ernie Lombardi, with .306 to Thurman Munson's .292.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Lombardi, with 1,792 to Thurman Munson's 1,558.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Lombardi, with 990 to Thurman Munson's 701.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ernie Lombardi, with 15,583 career PIV to Thurman Munson's 8,466.
- Who won more championships? Thurman Munson, with 2 World Series titles to Ernie Lombardi's 1.
Ernie Lombardi
Thurman Munson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Lombardi and Thurman Munson. 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 1930s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Lombardi | Thurman Munson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,853 | 1,423 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,855 | 5,344 |
| Runs | 601 | Leads: 696 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,792 | 1,558 |
| Doubles | Leads: 277 | 229 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 32 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 190 | 113 |
| RBI | Leads: 990 | 701 |
| Walks | 430 | Leads: 438 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 262 | 571 |
| Stolen Bases | 8 | Leads: 48 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .292 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .358 | .346 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .460 | .410 |
| OPS | Leads: .818 | .756 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ernie Lombardi outpaces Thurman Munson 15,583 to 8,466 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 917 PIV per season to 770, across 17 seasons to 11. 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).
Ernie Lombardi — top 3 seasons by OPS
Thurman Munson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Lombardi leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Thurman Munson owns runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ernie Lombardi. PIV agrees: Ernie Lombardi grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ernie Lombardi and Thurman Munson careers compare
No season is shared: Ernie Lombardi played 1931–1947, Thurman Munson 1969–1979. With 1,853 games against 1,423 across 17 and 11 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Thurman Munson's edges on the table are runs (696 to 601), triples (32 to 27), and walks (438 to 430). At the plate, Ernie Lombardi walked more often than struck out (430 walks, 262 strikeouts), while Thurman Munson struck out more than walked (571 to 438). Ernie Lombardi is the more power-leaning hitter, with 190 of 1,792 hits leaving the park. Ernie Lombardi's slugging percentage of .460 tops Thurman Munson's .410.
Ernie Lombardi vs Thurman Munson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Lombardi or Thurman Munson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Lombardi leads Thurman Munson in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Lombardi or Thurman Munson hit more home runs?
- Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Thurman Munson's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ernie Lombardi, with .818 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ernie Lombardi, with .306 to Thurman Munson's .292.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Lombardi, with 1,792 to Thurman Munson's 1,558.