Vern Stephens vs Arky Vaughan: Career Stats Comparison
Arky Vaughan has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Vern Stephens played 1941–1955 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
Vern Stephens (1941–1955) and Arky Vaughan (1932–1948) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Vern Stephens finished with 1,859 hits and 247 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? Vern Stephens, with 247 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS? Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Vern Stephens's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Vern Stephens's .286.
- Who had more hits? Arky Vaughan, with 2,103 to Vern Stephens's 1,859.
- Who drove in more runs? Vern Stephens, with 1,174 to Arky Vaughan's 926.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Arky Vaughan, with 28,350 career PIV to Vern Stephens's 19,363.
Vern Stephens
Arky Vaughan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Vern Stephens 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 1940s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Vern Stephens | Arky Vaughan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,720 | Leads: 1,817 |
| At-Bats | 6,497 | Leads: 6,622 |
| Runs | 1,001 | Leads: 1,173 |
| Hits | 1,859 | Leads: 2,103 |
| Doubles | 307 | Leads: 356 |
| Triples | 42 | Leads: 128 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 247 | 96 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,174 | 926 |
| Walks | 692 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 685 | 276 |
| Stolen Bases | 25 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | .286 | Leads: .318 |
| On-Base % | .355 | Leads: .406 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .460 | .453 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Arky Vaughan outpaces Vern Stephens 28,350 to 19,363 — driven by per-season impact — 2,025 PIV per season to 1,139 — rather than by longevity, since Arky Vaughan played 14 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).
Vern Stephens — top 3 seasons by OPS
Arky Vaughan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Arky Vaughan leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Vern Stephens owns 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 Vern Stephens and Arky Vaughan careers compare
From 1941 through 1948, Vern Stephens and Arky Vaughan were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,720 games for Vern Stephens and 1,817 for Arky Vaughan across 17 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Vern Stephens are home runs (247 to 96), RBI (1,174 to 926), and slugging percentage (.460 to .453). At the plate, Vern Stephens walked more often than struck out (692 walks, 685 strikeouts), and Arky Vaughan walked more often than struck out (937 walks, 276 strikeouts).
Vern Stephens vs Arky Vaughan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Vern Stephens or Arky Vaughan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Arky Vaughan leads Vern Stephens in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Vern Stephens or Arky Vaughan hit more home runs?
- Vern Stephens, with 247 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Vern Stephens's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Vern Stephens's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Arky Vaughan, with 2,103 to Vern Stephens's 1,859.