Ernie Lombardi vs Arky Vaughan: Career Stats Comparison
Arky Vaughan 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; Arky Vaughan played 1932–1948 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 Arky Vaughan (1932–1948) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ernie Lombardi finished with 1,792 hits and 190 home runs; Arky Vaughan finished with 2,103 hits and 96 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 Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS? Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Ernie Lombardi's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average? Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Ernie Lombardi's .306.
- Who had more hits? Arky Vaughan, with 2,103 to Ernie Lombardi's 1,792.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Lombardi, with 990 to Arky Vaughan's 926.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Arky Vaughan, with 28,350 career PIV to Ernie Lombardi's 15,583.
- Who won more championships? Ernie Lombardi, with 1 World Series title to Arky Vaughan's 0.
Ernie Lombardi
Arky Vaughan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Lombardi and Arky Vaughan. 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 | Ernie Lombardi | Arky Vaughan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,853 | 1,817 |
| At-Bats | 5,855 | Leads: 6,622 |
| Runs | 601 | Leads: 1,173 |
| Hits | 1,792 | Leads: 2,103 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 356 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 128 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 190 | 96 |
| RBI | Leads: 990 | 926 |
| Walks | 430 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 262 | 276 |
| Stolen Bases | 8 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | .306 | Leads: .318 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .406 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .460 | .453 |
| OPS | .818 | Leads: .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Arky Vaughan outpaces Ernie Lombardi 28,350 to 15,583 — driven by per-season impact — 2,025 PIV per season to 917 — rather than by longevity, since Arky Vaughan played 14 seasons to Ernie Lombardi's 17. 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
Arky Vaughan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Arky Vaughan leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Ernie Lombardi owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Arky Vaughan. PIV agrees: Arky Vaughan 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 Arky Vaughan careers compare
Ernie Lombardi and Arky Vaughan were active at the same time between 1932 and 1947. The two careers are close in length, 1,853 games for Ernie Lombardi and 1,817 for Arky Vaughan across 17 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ernie Lombardi's edges on the table are games (1,853 to 1,817), home runs (190 to 96), and RBI (990 to 926). At the plate, Ernie Lombardi walked more often than struck out (430 walks, 262 strikeouts), and Arky Vaughan walked more often than struck out (937 walks, 276 strikeouts).
Ernie Lombardi vs Arky Vaughan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Lombardi or Arky Vaughan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Arky Vaughan leads Ernie Lombardi in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Lombardi or Arky Vaughan hit more home runs?
- Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Ernie Lombardi's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Ernie Lombardi's .306.
- Who had more hits?
- Arky Vaughan, with 2,103 to Ernie Lombardi's 1,792.