Joe Sewell vs Arky Vaughan: Career Stats Comparison
Arky Vaughan has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Joe Sewell played 1920–1933 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
Joe Sewell (1920–1933) and Arky Vaughan (1932–1948) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Joe Sewell finished with 2,226 hits and 49 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? Arky Vaughan, with 96 to Joe Sewell's 49.
- Who had the higher OPS? Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Joe Sewell's .804.
- Who had the higher batting average? Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Joe Sewell's .312.
- Who had more hits? Joe Sewell, with 2,226 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Sewell, with 1,055 to Arky Vaughan's 926.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Arky Vaughan, with 28,350 career PIV to Joe Sewell's 15,785.
- Who won more championships? Joe Sewell, with 2 World Series titles to Arky Vaughan's 0.
Joe Sewell
Arky Vaughan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Sewell 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 1920s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe Sewell | Arky Vaughan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,903 | 1,817 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,132 | 6,622 |
| Runs | 1,141 | Leads: 1,173 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,226 | 2,103 |
| Doubles | Leads: 436 | 356 |
| Triples | 68 | Leads: 128 |
| Home Runs | 49 | Leads: 96 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,055 | 926 |
| Walks | 842 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 114 | 276 |
| Stolen Bases | 74 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | .312 | Leads: .318 |
| On-Base % | .391 | Leads: .406 |
| Slugging % | .413 | Leads: .453 |
| OPS | .804 | Leads: .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Arky Vaughan outpaces Joe Sewell 28,350 to 15,785 — driven by per-season impact — 2,025 PIV per season to 1,128 — rather than by longevity, since Arky Vaughan played 14 seasons to Joe Sewell's 14. 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).
Joe Sewell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Arky Vaughan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Arky Vaughan leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Joe Sewell owns hits 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 Joe Sewell and Arky Vaughan careers compare
Joe Sewell and Arky Vaughan were active at the same time between 1932 and 1933. With 1,903 games against 1,817 across 14 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Joe Sewell walked more often than struck out (842 walks, 114 strikeouts); Arky Vaughan walked more often than struck out (937 walks, 276 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Arky Vaughan's hits: 49 of 2,226 for Joe Sewell, 96 of 2,103 for Arky Vaughan. Arky Vaughan was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Arky Vaughan's slugging percentage of .453 tops Joe Sewell's .413.
Joe Sewell vs Arky Vaughan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Sewell or Arky Vaughan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Arky Vaughan leads Joe Sewell in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Sewell or Arky Vaughan hit more home runs?
- Arky Vaughan, with 96 to Joe Sewell's 49.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Joe Sewell's .804.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Joe Sewell's .312.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Sewell, with 2,226 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.