George Sisler vs Paul Waner: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Waner has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). George Sisler played 1915–1930 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
George Sisler (1915–1930) and Paul Waner (1926–1945) — they broke in during the 1910s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. George Sisler finished with 2,812 hits and 102 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 hit more home runs? Paul Waner, with 113 to George Sisler's 102.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Waner, with .878 to George Sisler's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Sisler, with .340 to Paul Waner's .333.
- Who had more hits? Paul Waner, with 3,152 to George Sisler's 2,812.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Waner, with 1,309 to George Sisler's 1,175.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Waner, with 40,296 career PIV to George Sisler's 29,261.
George Sisler
Paul Waner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Sisler and Paul Waner. 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 1910s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | George Sisler | Paul Waner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,055 | Leads: 2,549 |
| At-Bats | 8,267 | Leads: 9,459 |
| Runs | 1,284 | Leads: 1,627 |
| Hits | 2,812 | Leads: 3,152 |
| Doubles | 425 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 164 | Leads: 191 |
| Home Runs | 102 | Leads: 113 |
| RBI | 1,175 | Leads: 1,309 |
| Walks | 472 | Leads: 1,091 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 327 | 376 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 375 | 104 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .333 |
| On-Base % | .379 | Leads: .404 |
| Slugging % | .468 | Leads: .473 |
| OPS | .847 | Leads: .878 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Waner outpaces George Sisler 40,296 to 29,261 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,832 PIV per season to 1,829, across 22 seasons to 16. 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).
George Sisler — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Waner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Waner leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while George Sisler owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Waner. PIV agrees: Paul Waner grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Sisler and Paul Waner careers compare
George Sisler and Paul Waner were active at the same time between 1926 and 1930. With 2,055 games against 2,549 across 16 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. George Sisler's edges on the table are stolen bases (375 to 104) and batting average (.340 to .333). George Sisler walked more often than struck out (472 walks, 327 strikeouts); Paul Waner walked more often than struck out (1,091 walks, 376 strikeouts). George Sisler was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Paul Waner holds the edge, .473 to .468.
George Sisler vs Paul Waner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Sisler or Paul Waner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Waner leads George Sisler in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Sisler or Paul Waner hit more home runs?
- Paul Waner, with 113 to George Sisler's 102.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Waner, with .878 to George Sisler's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Sisler, with .340 to Paul Waner's .333.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Waner, with 3,152 to George Sisler's 2,812.