Mel Ott vs Hack Wilson: Career Stats Comparison
Mel Ott has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Hack Wilson played 1923–1934 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 Hack Wilson (1923–1934) — both debuted in the 1920s. Mel Ott finished with 2,876 hits and 511 home runs; Hack Wilson finished with 1,461 hits and 244 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 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Mel Ott, with 511 to Hack Wilson's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mel Ott, with .947 to Hack Wilson's .940.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hack Wilson, with .307 to Mel Ott's .304.
- Who had more hits? Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Hack Wilson's 1,461.
- Who drove in more runs? Mel Ott, with 1,860 to Hack Wilson's 1,063.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mel Ott, with 64,873 career PIV to Hack Wilson's 27,235.
Hack Wilson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mel Ott and Hack Wilson. 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 | Hack Wilson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,730 | 1,348 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,456 | 4,760 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,859 | 884 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,876 | 1,461 |
| Doubles | Leads: 488 | 266 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 67 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 511 | 244 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,860 | 1,063 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,708 | 674 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 896 | 713 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 89 | 52 |
| Batting Avg | .304 | Leads: .307 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .414 | .395 |
| Slugging % | .533 | Leads: .545 |
| OPS | Leads: .947 | .940 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mel Ott outpaces Hack Wilson 64,873 to 27,235 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,949 PIV per season to 2,270, across 22 seasons to 12. 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
Hack Wilson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Mel Ott leads 10 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Hack Wilson leads 2: batting average and slugging percentage. 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 Hack Wilson careers compare
Mel Ott and Hack Wilson were active at the same time between 1926 and 1934. Mel Ott has the far longer record, 2,730 games against 1,348 across 22 and 12 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Hack Wilson comes out ahead, it is in batting average (.307 to .304) and slugging percentage (.545 to .533). At the plate, Mel Ott walked more often than struck out (1,708 walks, 896 strikeouts), while Hack Wilson struck out more than walked (713 to 674). Mel Ott's on-base percentage of .414 tops Hack Wilson's .395.
Mel Ott vs Hack Wilson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mel Ott or Hack Wilson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mel Ott leads Hack Wilson in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Mel Ott or Hack Wilson hit more home runs?
- Mel Ott, with 511 to Hack Wilson's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mel Ott, with .947 to Hack Wilson's .940.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hack Wilson, with .307 to Mel Ott's .304.
- Who had more hits?
- Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Hack Wilson's 1,461.