John McGraw vs Mike Schmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Mike Schmidt 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). John McGraw played 1891–1907 as a hitter; Mike Schmidt played 1972–1989 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 Mike Schmidt (1972–1989) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. John McGraw finished with 1,309 hits and 13 home runs; Mike Schmidt finished with 2,234 hits and 548 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Schmidt, with 548 to John McGraw's 13.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mike Schmidt, with .908 to John McGraw's .876.
- Who had the higher batting average? John McGraw, with .334 to Mike Schmidt's .267.
- Who had more hits? Mike Schmidt, with 2,234 to John McGraw's 1,309.
- Who drove in more runs? Mike Schmidt, with 1,595 to John McGraw's 462.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mike Schmidt, with 49,630 career PIV to John McGraw's 22,730.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
John McGraw
Mike Schmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for John McGraw and Mike Schmidt. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | John McGraw | Mike Schmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,100 | Leads: 2,404 |
| At-Bats | 3,924 | Leads: 8,352 |
| Runs | 1,024 | Leads: 1,506 |
| Hits | 1,309 | Leads: 2,234 |
| Doubles | 121 | Leads: 408 |
| Triples | Leads: 70 | 59 |
| Home Runs | 13 | Leads: 548 |
| RBI | 462 | Leads: 1,595 |
| Walks | 836 | Leads: 1,507 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 155 | 1,883 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 436 | 174 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .334 | .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .466 | .380 |
| Slugging % | .410 | Leads: .527 |
| OPS | .876 | Leads: .908 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Schmidt outpaces John McGraw 49,630 to 22,730 — driven by per-season impact — 2,757 PIV per season to 1,263 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Schmidt played 18 seasons to John McGraw's 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).
John McGraw — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mike Schmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Schmidt leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while John McGraw owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mike Schmidt. PIV agrees: Mike Schmidt 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 Mike Schmidt careers compare
John McGraw (1891–1907) was finished before Mike Schmidt (1972–1989) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: John McGraw appeared in 1,100 games to Mike Schmidt's 2,404. The green cells for John McGraw are triples (70 to 59), stolen bases (436 to 174), and batting average (.334 to .267). At the plate, John McGraw walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 155 strikeouts), while Mike Schmidt struck out more than walked (1,883 to 1,507). Mike Schmidt is the more power-leaning hitter, with 548 of 2,234 hits leaving the park.
John McGraw vs Mike Schmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, John McGraw or Mike Schmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mike Schmidt leads John McGraw in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did John McGraw or Mike Schmidt hit more home runs?
- Mike Schmidt, with 548 to John McGraw's 13.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mike Schmidt, with .908 to John McGraw's .876.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- John McGraw, with .334 to Mike Schmidt's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Mike Schmidt, with 2,234 to John McGraw's 1,309.