Zack Wheat vs Hack Wilson: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Wheat has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Zack Wheat played 1909–1927 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
Zack Wheat (1909–1927) and Hack Wilson (1923–1934) — they debuted in the 1900s and the 1920s respectively and share 5 seasons. Zack Wheat finished with 2,884 hits and 132 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 leads the career comparison? Zack Wheat, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Hack Wilson, with 244 to Zack Wheat's 132.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hack Wilson, with .940 to Zack Wheat's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Zack Wheat, with .317 to Hack Wilson's .307.
- Who had more hits? Zack Wheat, with 2,884 to Hack Wilson's 1,461.
- Who drove in more runs? Zack Wheat, with 1,248 to Hack Wilson's 1,063.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Zack Wheat, with 30,370 career PIV to Hack Wilson's 27,235.
Zack Wheat
Hack Wilson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Zack Wheat and Hack Wilson. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Zack Wheat | Hack Wilson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,410 | 1,348 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,106 | 4,760 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,289 | 884 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,884 | 1,461 |
| Doubles | Leads: 476 | 266 |
| Triples | Leads: 172 | 67 |
| Home Runs | 132 | Leads: 244 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,248 | 1,063 |
| Walks | 650 | Leads: 674 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 572 | 713 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 205 | 52 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .307 |
| On-Base % | .367 | Leads: .395 |
| Slugging % | .450 | Leads: .545 |
| OPS | .817 | Leads: .940 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Wheat leads Hack Wilson 30,370 to 27,235 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Zack Wheat played 19 seasons to Hack Wilson's 12, while Hack Wilson carries the higher per-season figure (2,270 to 1,598). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Zack Wheat — top 3 seasons by OPS
Hack Wilson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Zack Wheat leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Hack Wilson leads 5: home runs, walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Wheat. PIV agrees: Zack Wheat grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Zack Wheat and Hack Wilson careers compare
The careers of Zack Wheat (1909–1927) and Hack Wilson (1923–1934) overlapped from 1923 to 1927, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 2,410 games of Zack Wheat with 1,348 of Hack Wilson across 19 and 12 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Plate discipline differs: Zack Wheat walked more often than struck out (650 walks, 572 strikeouts), but Hack Wilson struck out more than walked (713 to 674). Home runs make up a larger share of Hack Wilson's hits: 132 of 2,884 for Zack Wheat, 244 of 1,461 for Hack Wilson.
Zack Wheat vs Hack Wilson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Wheat or Hack Wilson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Wheat leads Hack Wilson in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Zack Wheat or Hack Wilson hit more home runs?
- Hack Wilson, with 244 to Zack Wheat's 132.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hack Wilson, with .940 to Zack Wheat's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Zack Wheat, with .317 to Hack Wilson's .307.
- Who had more hits?
- Zack Wheat, with 2,884 to Hack Wilson's 1,461.