Mel Ott vs Paul Waner: Career Stats Comparison
Mel Ott has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; 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 debuted in the 1920s. 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 leads the career comparison? Mel Ott, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- 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.
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. 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 | Paul Waner |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,730 | 2,549 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,456 | 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 not scored | 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 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,949 PIV per season to 2,015, across 22 seasons to 20. 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
Mel Ott leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, home runs, RBI, walks, and others. Paul Waner leads 5: hits, doubles, triples, stolen bases, and others. 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
How the Mel Ott and Paul Waner careers compare
From 1926 through 1945, Mel Ott and Paul Waner were in the majors together. With 2,730 games against 2,549 across 22 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Mel Ott walked more often than struck out (1,708 walks, 896 strikeouts), and Paul Waner walked more often than struck out (1,091 walks, 376 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mel Ott's hits: 511 of 2,876 for Mel Ott, 113 of 3,152 for Paul Waner. On the bases, Paul Waner stole more often per game played (89 steals in 2,730 games for Mel Ott, 104 in 2,549 for Paul Waner).
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 7 of the 12 scored 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.