Hank Aaron vs Roberto Clemente: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Aaron has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Hank Aaron played 1954–1976 as a hitter; Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 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
Hank Aaron (1954–1976) and Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) — both debuted in the 1950s. Hank Aaron finished with 3,771 hits and 755 home runs; Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Hank Aaron, in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Aaron, with 755 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Aaron, with .928 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Hank Aaron's .305.
- Who had more hits? Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Roberto Clemente's 3,000.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Aaron, with 78,640 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
Hank Aaron
Roberto Clemente
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente. 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 | Hank Aaron | Roberto Clemente |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,298 | 2,433 |
| At-Bats not scored | 12,364 | 9,454 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,174 | 1,416 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,771 | 3,000 |
| Doubles | Leads: 624 | 440 |
| Triples | 98 | Leads: 166 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 240 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,305 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,402 | 621 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,383 | 1,230 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 240 | 83 |
| Batting Avg | .305 | Leads: .317 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .374 | .359 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .555 | .475 |
| OPS | Leads: .928 | .834 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Aaron outpaces Roberto Clemente 78,640 to 34,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,419 PIV per season to 1,896, across 23 seasons to 18. 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).
Hank Aaron — top 3 seasons by OPS
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Hank Aaron leads 10 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Roberto Clemente leads 2: triples and batting average. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Aaron. PIV agrees: Hank Aaron grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente careers compare
The careers of Hank Aaron (1954–1976) and Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) overlapped from 1955 to 1972, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 3,298 games against 2,433 across 23 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Roberto Clemente's edges on the table are triples (166 to 98) and batting average (.317 to .305). At the plate, Hank Aaron walked more often than struck out (1,402 walks, 1,383 strikeouts), while Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621). Hank Aaron is the more power-leaning hitter, with 755 of 3,771 hits leaving the park.
Hank Aaron vs Roberto Clemente: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Aaron or Roberto Clemente?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Aaron leads Roberto Clemente in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Hank Aaron or Roberto Clemente hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Aaron, with .928 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Hank Aaron's .305.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Roberto Clemente's 3,000.