Cal Ripken vs Arky Vaughan: Career Stats Comparison
Cal Ripken has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 as a hitter; Arky Vaughan played 1932–1948 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
Cal Ripken (1981–2001) and Arky Vaughan (1932–1948) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 home runs; Arky Vaughan finished with 2,103 hits and 96 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Cal Ripken, with 431 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS? Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Arky Vaughan's 926.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Arky Vaughan, with 28,350 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Cal Ripken, with 1 World Series title to Arky Vaughan's 0.
Cal Ripken
Arky Vaughan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cal Ripken and Arky Vaughan. 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 1980s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cal Ripken | Arky Vaughan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,001 | 1,817 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,551 | 6,622 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,647 | 1,173 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,184 | 2,103 |
| Doubles | Leads: 603 | 356 |
| Triples | 44 | Leads: 128 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 431 | 96 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,695 | 926 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,129 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,305 | 276 |
| Stolen Bases | 36 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | .276 | Leads: .318 |
| On-Base % | .340 | Leads: .406 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .453 |
| OPS | .788 | Leads: .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Arky Vaughan outpaces Cal Ripken 28,350 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 2,025 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since Arky Vaughan played 14 seasons to Cal Ripken's 21. 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).
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Arky Vaughan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Arky Vaughan leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Cal Ripken owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Arky Vaughan. PIV agrees: Arky Vaughan grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cal Ripken and Arky Vaughan careers compare
No season is shared: Arky Vaughan played 1932–1948, Cal Ripken 1981–2001. The table compares 3,001 games of Cal Ripken with 1,817 of Arky Vaughan across 21 and 14 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Plate discipline differs: Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129), but Arky Vaughan walked more often than struck out (937 walks, 276 strikeouts). Cal Ripken is the more power-leaning hitter, with 431 of 3,184 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Arky Vaughan stole more often per game played (36 steals in 3,001 games for Cal Ripken, 118 in 1,817 for Arky Vaughan). In on-base percentage, Arky Vaughan holds the edge, .406 to .340.
Cal Ripken vs Arky Vaughan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cal Ripken or Arky Vaughan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cal Ripken leads Arky Vaughan in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cal Ripken or Arky Vaughan hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.