Hank Aaron vs Frank Howard: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Aaron has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Frank Howard played 1958–1973 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 Frank Howard (1958–1973) — both debuted in the 1950s. Hank Aaron finished with 3,771 hits and 755 home runs; Frank Howard finished with 1,774 hits and 382 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 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Aaron, with 755 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Aaron, with .928 to Frank Howard's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Aaron, with .305 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits? Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Frank Howard's 1,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Frank Howard's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Aaron, with 78,640 career PIV to Frank Howard's 30,024.
Hank Aaron
Frank Howard
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Frank Howard. 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 | Frank Howard |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,298 | 1,895 |
| At-Bats not scored | 12,364 | 6,488 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,174 | 864 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,771 | 1,774 |
| Doubles | Leads: 624 | 245 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 35 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 382 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,119 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,402 | 782 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,383 | 1,460 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 240 | 8 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .374 | .352 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .555 | .499 |
| OPS | Leads: .928 | .851 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Aaron outpaces Frank Howard 78,640 to 30,024 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,419 PIV per season to 1,876, across 23 seasons to 16. 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
Frank Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Hank Aaron leads 12 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Frank Howard leads 0: no scored category. 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 Frank Howard careers compare
Hank Aaron and Frank Howard were active at the same time between 1958 and 1973. The table compares 3,298 games of Hank Aaron with 1,895 of Frank Howard across 23 and 16 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Hank Aaron leads every scored row of the table. Plate discipline differs: Hank Aaron walked more often than struck out (1,402 walks, 1,383 strikeouts), but Frank Howard struck out more than walked (1,460 to 782). On the bases, Hank Aaron stole more often per game played (240 steals in 3,298 games for Hank Aaron, 8 in 1,895 for Frank Howard). In slugging percentage, Hank Aaron holds the edge, .555 to .499.
Hank Aaron vs Frank Howard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Aaron or Frank Howard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Aaron leads Frank Howard in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Hank Aaron or Frank Howard hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Aaron, with .928 to Frank Howard's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Aaron, with .305 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Frank Howard's 1,774.