Arky Vaughan vs Hack Wilson: Career Stats Comparison
Arky Vaughan has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Hack Wilson played 1923–1934 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 Hack Wilson (1923–1934) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Arky Vaughan finished with 2,103 hits and 96 home runs; Hack Wilson finished with 1,461 hits and 244 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hack Wilson, with 244 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hack Wilson, with .940 to Arky Vaughan's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average? Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Hack Wilson's .307.
- Who had more hits? Arky Vaughan, with 2,103 to Hack Wilson's 1,461.
- Who drove in more runs? Hack Wilson, with 1,063 to Arky Vaughan's 926.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Arky Vaughan, with 28,350 career PIV to Hack Wilson's 27,235.
Arky Vaughan
Hack Wilson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Arky Vaughan and Hack Wilson. 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 1930s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Arky Vaughan | Hack Wilson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,817 | 1,348 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,622 | 4,760 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,173 | 884 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,103 | 1,461 |
| Doubles | Leads: 356 | 266 |
| Triples | Leads: 128 | 67 |
| Home Runs | 96 | Leads: 244 |
| RBI | 926 | Leads: 1,063 |
| Walks | Leads: 937 | 674 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 276 | 713 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 118 | 52 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .318 | .307 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .406 | .395 |
| Slugging % | .453 | Leads: .545 |
| OPS | .859 | Leads: .940 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Arky Vaughan edges Hack Wilson 28,350 to 27,235 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Arky Vaughan played 14 seasons to Hack Wilson's 13, while Hack Wilson carries the higher per-season figure (2,095 to 2,025). 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
Hack Wilson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Arky Vaughan leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Hack Wilson owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. 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 Arky Vaughan and Hack Wilson careers compare
The careers of Arky Vaughan (1932–1948) and Hack Wilson (1923–1934) overlapped from 1932 to 1934, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,817 games against 1,348 across 14 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Hack Wilson are home runs (244 to 96), RBI (1,063 to 926), and slugging percentage (.545 to .453). Plate discipline differs: Arky Vaughan walked more often than struck out (937 walks, 276 strikeouts), but Hack Wilson struck out more than walked (713 to 674). Home runs make up a larger share of Hack Wilson's hits: 96 of 2,103 for Arky Vaughan, 244 of 1,461 for Hack Wilson.
Arky Vaughan vs Hack Wilson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Arky Vaughan or Hack Wilson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Arky Vaughan leads Hack Wilson in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Arky Vaughan or Hack Wilson hit more home runs?
- Hack Wilson, with 244 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hack Wilson, with .940 to Arky Vaughan's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Hack Wilson's .307.
- Who had more hits?
- Arky Vaughan, with 2,103 to Hack Wilson's 1,461.