Mel Ott vs Paul Waner: Career Stats Comparison
Mel Ott has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Mel Ott played 1926–1947 as a hitter; Paul Waner played 1926–1945 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 Paul Waner (1926–1945) — both broke in during the 1920s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Mel Ott finished with 2,876 hits and 511 home runs; Paul Waner finished with 3,152 hits and 113 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mel Ott, with 511 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mel Ott, with .947 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Waner, with .333 to Mel Ott's .304.
- Who had more hits? Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Mel Ott's 2,876.
- Who drove in more runs? Mel Ott, with 1,860 to Paul Waner's 1,309.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mel Ott, with 64,873 career PIV to Paul Waner's 40,296.
- Who won more championships? Mel Ott, with 1 World Series title to Paul Waner's 0.
Paul Waner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mel Ott and Paul Waner. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mel Ott | Paul Waner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,730 | 2,549 |
| At-Bats | 9,456 | Leads: 9,459 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,859 | 1,627 |
| Hits | 2,876 | Leads: 3,152 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 191 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 511 | 113 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,860 | 1,309 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,708 | 1,091 |
| Strikeouts | 896 | 376 |
| Stolen Bases | 89 | Leads: 104 |
| Batting Avg | .304 | Leads: .333 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .414 | .404 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .533 | .473 |
| OPS | Leads: .947 | .878 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mel Ott outpaces Paul Waner 64,873 to 40,296 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,949 vs 1,832 per year). 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
Paul Waner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mel Ott leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Paul Waner owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mel Ott. PIV agrees: Mel Ott grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Mel Ott vs Paul Waner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mel Ott or Paul Waner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mel Ott leads Paul Waner in 8 of 14 categories.
- Did Mel Ott or Paul Waner hit more home runs?
- Mel Ott, with 511 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mel Ott, with .947 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Waner, with .333 to Mel Ott's .304.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Mel Ott's 2,876.