John McGraw vs Brooks Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Brooks Robinson has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). John McGraw played 1891–1907 as a hitter; Brooks Robinson played 1955–1977 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
John McGraw (1891–1907) and Brooks Robinson (1955–1977) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. John McGraw finished with 1,309 hits and 13 home runs; Brooks Robinson finished with 2,848 hits and 268 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Brooks Robinson, with 268 to John McGraw's 13.
- Who had the higher OPS? John McGraw, with .876 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average? John McGraw, with .334 to Brooks Robinson's .267.
- Who had more hits? Brooks Robinson, with 2,848 to John McGraw's 1,309.
- Who drove in more runs? Brooks Robinson, with 1,357 to John McGraw's 462.
- Who has the higher career PIV? John McGraw, with 22,730 career PIV to Brooks Robinson's 9,441.
- Who won more championships? Brooks Robinson, with 2 World Series titles to John McGraw's 1.
John McGraw
Brooks Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for John McGraw and Brooks Robinson. 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 1890s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | John McGraw | Brooks Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,100 | Leads: 2,896 |
| At-Bats | 3,924 | Leads: 10,654 |
| Runs | 1,024 | Leads: 1,232 |
| Hits | 1,309 | Leads: 2,848 |
| Doubles | 121 | Leads: 482 |
| Triples | Leads: 70 | 68 |
| Home Runs | 13 | Leads: 268 |
| RBI | 462 | Leads: 1,357 |
| Walks | 836 | Leads: 860 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 155 | 990 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 436 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .334 | .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .466 | .322 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .410 | .401 |
| OPS | Leads: .876 | .723 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John McGraw outpaces Brooks Robinson 22,730 to 9,441 — driven by per-season impact — 1,263 PIV per season to 410 — rather than by longevity, since John McGraw played 18 seasons to Brooks Robinson's 23. 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).
John McGraw — top 3 seasons by OPS
Brooks Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John McGraw leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Brooks Robinson owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John McGraw. PIV agrees: John McGraw grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the John McGraw and Brooks Robinson careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: John McGraw's ended in 1907, and Brooks Robinson debuted in 1955. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: John McGraw appeared in 1,100 games to Brooks Robinson's 2,896. Plate discipline differs: John McGraw walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 155 strikeouts), but Brooks Robinson struck out more than walked (990 to 860). Brooks Robinson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 268 of 2,848 hits leaving the park. John McGraw was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. John McGraw's slugging percentage of .410 tops Brooks Robinson's .401.
John McGraw vs Brooks Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, John McGraw or Brooks Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Brooks Robinson leads John McGraw in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did John McGraw or Brooks Robinson hit more home runs?
- Brooks Robinson, with 268 to John McGraw's 13.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- John McGraw, with .876 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- John McGraw, with .334 to Brooks Robinson's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Brooks Robinson, with 2,848 to John McGraw's 1,309.