Mel Ott vs Babe Ruth: Career Stats Comparison
Babe Ruth has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mel Ott played 1926–1947 as a hitter; Babe Ruth played 1914–1935 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
Mel Ott (1926–1947) and Babe Ruth (1914–1935) — they debuted in the 1920s and the 1910s respectively and share 10 seasons. Mel Ott finished with 2,876 hits and 511 home runs; Babe Ruth finished with 2,873 hits and 714 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Babe Ruth, in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Babe Ruth, with 714 to Mel Ott's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS? Babe Ruth, with 1.164 to Mel Ott's .947.
- Who had the higher batting average? Babe Ruth, with .342 to Mel Ott's .304.
- Who had more hits? Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Babe Ruth's 2,873.
- Who drove in more runs? Babe Ruth, with 2,217 to Mel Ott's 1,860.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Babe Ruth, with 111,979 career PIV to Mel Ott's 64,873.
Babe Ruth
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mel Ott and Babe Ruth. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Mel Ott | Babe Ruth |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,730 | 2,503 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,456 | 8,398 |
| Runs | 1,859 | Leads: 2,174 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,876 | 2,873 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 506 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 136 |
| Home Runs | 511 | Leads: 714 |
| RBI | 1,860 | Leads: 2,217 |
| Walks | 1,708 | Leads: 2,062 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 896 | 1,330 |
| Stolen Bases | 89 | Leads: 123 |
| Batting Avg | .304 | Leads: .342 |
| On-Base % | .414 | Leads: .474 |
| Slugging % | .533 | Leads: .690 |
| OPS | .947 | Leads: 1.164 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Babe Ruth outpaces Mel Ott 111,979 to 64,873 — driven by per-season impact — 5,090 PIV per season to 2,949 — rather than by longevity, since Babe Ruth played 22 seasons to Mel Ott's 22. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Mel Ott — top 3 seasons by OPS
Babe Ruth — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Babe Ruth leads 11 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, doubles, triples, home runs, and others. Mel Ott leads 1: hits. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Babe Ruth. PIV agrees: Babe Ruth grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mel Ott and Babe Ruth careers compare
From 1926 through 1935, Mel Ott and Babe Ruth were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,730 games for Mel Ott and 2,503 for Babe Ruth across 22 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Mel Ott's edges on the table are hits (2,876 to 2,873). At the plate, Mel Ott walked more often than struck out (1,708 walks, 896 strikeouts), and Babe Ruth walked more often than struck out (2,062 walks, 1,330 strikeouts). Babe Ruth is the more power-leaning hitter, with 714 of 2,873 hits leaving the park.
Mel Ott vs Babe Ruth: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mel Ott or Babe Ruth?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Babe Ruth leads Mel Ott in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Mel Ott or Babe Ruth hit more home runs?
- Babe Ruth, with 714 to Mel Ott's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Babe Ruth, with 1.164 to Mel Ott's .947.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Babe Ruth, with .342 to Mel Ott's .304.
- Who had more hits?
- Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Babe Ruth's 2,873.