Jackie Robinson vs Vern Stephens: Career Stats Comparison
Jackie Robinson and Vern Stephens are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jackie Robinson played 1947–1956 as a hitter; Vern Stephens played 1941–1955 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
Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) and Vern Stephens (1941–1955) — both broke in during the 1940s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Jackie Robinson finished with 1,568 hits and 141 home runs; Vern Stephens finished with 1,859 hits and 247 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Vern Stephens, with 247 to Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Vern Stephens's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Vern Stephens's .286.
- Who had more hits? Vern Stephens, with 1,859 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.
- Who drove in more runs? Vern Stephens, with 1,174 to Jackie Robinson's 764.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jackie Robinson, with 25,382 career PIV to Vern Stephens's 19,363.
- Who won more championships? Jackie Robinson, with 1 World Series title to Vern Stephens's 0.
Jackie Robinson
Vern Stephens
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jackie Robinson and Vern Stephens. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jackie Robinson | Vern Stephens |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,418 | Leads: 1,720 |
| At-Bats | 5,006 | Leads: 6,497 |
| Runs | 974 | Leads: 1,001 |
| Hits | 1,568 | Leads: 1,859 |
| Doubles | 287 | Leads: 307 |
| Triples | Leads: 55 | 42 |
| Home Runs | 141 | Leads: 247 |
| RBI | 764 | Leads: 1,174 |
| Walks | Leads: 756 | 692 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 291 | 685 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 203 | 25 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .286 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .410 | .355 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .477 | .460 |
| OPS | Leads: .887 | .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jackie Robinson leads Vern Stephens 25,382 to 19,363 — driven by per-season impact — 2,307 PIV per season to 1,139 — rather than by longevity, since Jackie Robinson played 11 seasons to Vern Stephens's 17. 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).
Jackie Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Vern Stephens — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jackie Robinson leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Vern Stephens owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jackie Robinson. PIV agrees: Jackie Robinson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jackie Robinson and Vern Stephens careers compare
The careers of Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) and Vern Stephens (1941–1955) overlapped from 1947 to 1955, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,418 games for Jackie Robinson and 1,720 for Vern Stephens across 11 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Jackie Robinson walked more often than struck out (756 walks, 291 strikeouts), and Vern Stephens walked more often than struck out (692 walks, 685 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Vern Stephens's hits: 141 of 1,568 for Jackie Robinson, 247 of 1,859 for Vern Stephens.
Jackie Robinson vs Vern Stephens: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Jackie Robinson or Vern Stephens hit more home runs?
- Vern Stephens, with 247 to Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Vern Stephens's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Vern Stephens's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Vern Stephens, with 1,859 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.