Cap Anson vs George Kelly: Career Stats Comparison
Cap Anson has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Cap Anson played 1871–1897 as a hitter; George Kelly played 1915–1932 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
Cap Anson (1871–1897) and George Kelly (1915–1932) — they broke in during the 1870s and the 1910s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cap Anson finished with 3,435 hits and 97 home runs; George Kelly finished with 1,778 hits and 148 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? George Kelly, with 148 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS? Cap Anson, with .841 to George Kelly's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Cap Anson, with .334 to George Kelly's .297.
- Who had more hits? Cap Anson, with 3,435 to George Kelly's 1,778.
- Who drove in more runs? Cap Anson, with 2,075 to George Kelly's 1,020.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Cap Anson, with 52,242 career PIV to George Kelly's 9,050.
- Who won more championships? George Kelly, with 2 World Series titles to Cap Anson's 0.
George Kelly
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cap Anson and George Kelly. 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 1870s and the 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cap Anson | George Kelly |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,524 | 1,622 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,281 | 5,993 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,999 | 819 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,435 | 1,778 |
| Doubles | Leads: 582 | 337 |
| Triples | Leads: 142 | 76 |
| Home Runs | 97 | Leads: 148 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,075 | 1,020 |
| Walks | Leads: 984 | 386 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 330 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 277 | 65 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .334 | .297 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .342 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .452 |
| OPS | Leads: .841 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cap Anson outpaces George Kelly 52,242 to 9,050 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,935 PIV per season to 503, across 27 seasons to 18. 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).
Cap Anson — top 3 seasons by OPS
George Kelly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cap Anson leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while George Kelly owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cap Anson. PIV agrees: Cap Anson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cap Anson and George Kelly careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Cap Anson's ended in 1897, and George Kelly debuted in 1915. Cap Anson has the far longer record, 2,524 games against 1,622 across 27 and 18 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. George Kelly's edges on the table are home runs (148 to 97) and slugging percentage (.452 to .447). Plate discipline differs: Cap Anson walked more often than struck out (984 walks, 330 strikeouts), but George Kelly struck out more than walked (694 to 386). Home runs make up a larger share of George Kelly's hits: 97 of 3,435 for Cap Anson, 148 of 1,778 for George Kelly.
Cap Anson vs George Kelly: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cap Anson or George Kelly?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cap Anson leads George Kelly in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cap Anson or George Kelly hit more home runs?
- George Kelly, with 148 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Cap Anson, with .841 to George Kelly's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Cap Anson, with .334 to George Kelly's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Cap Anson, with 3,435 to George Kelly's 1,778.