Arky Vaughan vs Willie Wells: Career Stats Comparison
Arky Vaughan 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). Arky Vaughan played 1932–1948 as a hitter; Willie Wells played ?–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
Arky Vaughan (1932–1948) and Willie Wells (?–1948) — their careers are worth a careful side-by-side. Arky Vaughan finished with 2,103 hits and 96 home runs; Willie Wells finished with 1,319 hits and 145 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Wells, with 145 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Wells, with .943 to Arky Vaughan's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Wells, with .327 to Arky Vaughan's .318.
- Who had more hits? Arky Vaughan, with 2,103 to Willie Wells's 1,319.
- Who drove in more runs? Arky Vaughan, with 926 to Willie Wells's 875.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Arky Vaughan, with 28,350 career PIV to Willie Wells's 21,549.
Arky Vaughan
Willie Wells
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Arky Vaughan and Willie Wells. 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 | Arky Vaughan | Willie Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,817 | 1,068 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,622 | 4,030 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,173 | 956 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,103 | 1,319 |
| Doubles | Leads: 356 | 267 |
| Triples | Leads: 128 | 70 |
| Home Runs | 96 | Leads: 145 |
| RBI | Leads: 926 | 875 |
| Walks | Leads: 937 | 497 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 276 | 10 |
| Stolen Bases | 118 | Leads: 176 |
| Batting Avg | .318 | Leads: .327 |
| On-Base % | .406 | Leads: .407 |
| Slugging % | .453 | Leads: .536 |
| OPS | .859 | Leads: .943 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Arky Vaughan leads Willie Wells 28,350 to 21,549 — driven by per-season impact — 2,025 PIV per season to 798 — rather than by longevity, since Arky Vaughan played 14 seasons to Willie Wells's 27. 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).
Arky Vaughan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Wells — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Wells leads in home runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Arky Vaughan owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Wells. Note that PIV actually grades Arky Vaughan ahead, which means Willie Wells's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Arky Vaughan and Willie Wells careers compare
From 1948 through 1948, Arky Vaughan and Willie Wells were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Arky Vaughan appeared in 1,817 games to Willie Wells's 1,068. At the plate, Arky Vaughan walked more often than struck out (937 walks, 276 strikeouts), and Willie Wells walked more often than struck out (497 walks, 10 strikeouts). Willie Wells is the more power-leaning hitter, with 145 of 1,319 hits leaving the park. Willie Wells was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Willie Wells holds the edge, .407 to .406.
Arky Vaughan vs Willie Wells: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Arky Vaughan or Willie Wells?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Arky Vaughan leads Willie Wells in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Arky Vaughan or Willie Wells hit more home runs?
- Willie Wells, with 145 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Wells, with .943 to Arky Vaughan's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Wells, with .327 to Arky Vaughan's .318.
- Who had more hits?
- Arky Vaughan, with 2,103 to Willie Wells's 1,319.