Honus Wagner vs Zack Wheat: Career Stats Comparison
Honus Wagner has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Honus Wagner played 1897–1917 as a hitter; Zack Wheat played 1909–1927 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
Honus Wagner (1897–1917) and Zack Wheat (1909–1927) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 1900s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Honus Wagner finished with 3,420 hits and 101 home runs; Zack Wheat finished with 2,884 hits and 132 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Zack Wheat, with 132 to Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS? Honus Wagner, with .858 to Zack Wheat's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Honus Wagner, with .328 to Zack Wheat's .317.
- Who had more hits? Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Zack Wheat's 2,884.
- Who drove in more runs? Honus Wagner, with 1,733 to Zack Wheat's 1,248.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Honus Wagner, with 59,177 career PIV to Zack Wheat's 30,370.
- Who won more championships? Honus Wagner, with 1 World Series title to Zack Wheat's 0.
Honus Wagner
Zack Wheat
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Honus Wagner and Zack Wheat. 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 1890s and the 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Honus Wagner | Zack Wheat |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,794 | 2,410 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,439 | 9,106 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,739 | 1,289 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,420 | 2,884 |
| Doubles | Leads: 643 | 476 |
| Triples | Leads: 252 | 172 |
| Home Runs | 101 | Leads: 132 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,733 | 1,248 |
| Walks | Leads: 963 | 650 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 735 | 572 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 723 | 205 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .328 | .317 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .391 | .367 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .467 | .450 |
| OPS | Leads: .858 | .817 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Honus Wagner outpaces Zack Wheat 59,177 to 30,370 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,818 PIV per season to 1,598, across 21 seasons to 19. 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).
Honus Wagner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Zack Wheat — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Honus Wagner leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Zack Wheat owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Honus Wagner. PIV agrees: Honus Wagner grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Honus Wagner and Zack Wheat careers compare
From 1909 through 1917, Honus Wagner and Zack Wheat were in the majors together. With 2,794 games against 2,410 across 21 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Zack Wheat's edges on the table are home runs (132 to 101). At the plate, Honus Wagner walked more often than struck out (963 walks, 735 strikeouts), and Zack Wheat walked more often than struck out (650 walks, 572 strikeouts). Zack Wheat is the more power-leaning hitter, with 132 of 2,884 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Honus Wagner stole more often per game played (723 steals in 2,794 games for Honus Wagner, 205 in 2,410 for Zack Wheat).
Honus Wagner vs Zack Wheat: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Honus Wagner or Zack Wheat?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Honus Wagner leads Zack Wheat in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Honus Wagner or Zack Wheat hit more home runs?
- Zack Wheat, with 132 to Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Honus Wagner, with .858 to Zack Wheat's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Honus Wagner, with .328 to Zack Wheat's .317.
- Who had more hits?
- Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Zack Wheat's 2,884.