Eddie Mathews vs Pee Wee Reese: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 as a hitter; Pee Wee Reese played 1940–1958 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
Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) and Pee Wee Reese (1940–1958) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs; Pee Wee Reese finished with 2,170 hits and 126 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Pee Wee Reese's 126.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Pee Wee Reese's .743.
- Who had the higher batting average? Eddie Mathews, with .271 to Pee Wee Reese's .269.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Pee Wee Reese's 2,170.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Pee Wee Reese's 885.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Pee Wee Reese's 10,057.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Pee Wee Reese's 1.
Eddie Mathews
Pee Wee Reese
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Pee Wee Reese. 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 1950s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Eddie Mathews | Pee Wee Reese |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,391 | 2,166 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,537 | 8,058 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,509 | 1,338 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,315 | 2,170 |
| Doubles | Leads: 354 | 330 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 80 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 126 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,453 | 885 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,444 | 1,210 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 890 |
| Stolen Bases | 68 | Leads: 232 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .271 | .269 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .366 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .377 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .743 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Pee Wee Reese 45,555 to 10,057 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,531 PIV per season to 629, across 18 seasons to 16. 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).
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pee Wee Reese — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Pee Wee Reese owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Mathews. PIV agrees: Eddie Mathews grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Eddie Mathews and Pee Wee Reese careers compare
From 1952 through 1958, Eddie Mathews and Pee Wee Reese were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,391 games for Eddie Mathews and 2,166 for Pee Wee Reese across 18 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Pee Wee Reese comes out ahead, it is in triples (80 to 72) and stolen bases (232 to 68). At the plate, Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444), while Pee Wee Reese walked more often than struck out (1,210 walks, 890 strikeouts).
Eddie Mathews vs Pee Wee Reese: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Mathews or Pee Wee Reese?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Pee Wee Reese in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Eddie Mathews or Pee Wee Reese hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Pee Wee Reese's 126.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Pee Wee Reese's .743.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Eddie Mathews, with .271 to Pee Wee Reese's .269.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Pee Wee Reese's 2,170.