Luke Appling vs Ted Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Williams has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Luke Appling played 1930–1950 as a hitter; Ted Williams played 1939–1960 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
Luke Appling (1930–1950) and Ted Williams (1939–1960) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Luke Appling finished with 2,749 hits and 45 home runs; Ted Williams finished with 2,654 hits and 521 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ted Williams, with 521 to Luke Appling's 45.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Luke Appling's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Williams, with .344 to Luke Appling's .310.
- Who had more hits? Luke Appling, with 2,749 to Ted Williams's 2,654.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Williams, with 1,839 to Luke Appling's 1,116.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Williams, with 96,302 career PIV to Luke Appling's 25,114.
Luke Appling
Ted Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Luke Appling and Ted Williams. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Luke Appling | Ted Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,422 | 2,292 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,856 | 7,706 |
| Runs | 1,319 | Leads: 1,798 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,749 | 2,654 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 525 |
| Triples | Leads: 102 | 71 |
| Home Runs | 45 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | 1,116 | Leads: 1,839 |
| Walks | 1,302 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 528 | 709 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 179 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | .310 | Leads: .344 |
| On-Base % | .399 | Leads: .482 |
| Slugging % | .398 | Leads: .634 |
| OPS | .798 | Leads: 1.116 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Williams outpaces Luke Appling 96,302 to 25,114 — driven by per-season impact — 5,069 PIV per season to 1,256 — rather than by longevity, since Ted Williams played 19 seasons to Luke Appling's 20. 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).
Luke Appling — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ted Williams leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Luke Appling owns hits and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ted Williams. PIV agrees: Ted Williams grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Luke Appling and Ted Williams careers compare
From 1939 through 1950, Luke Appling and Ted Williams were in the majors together. With 2,422 games against 2,292 across 20 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Luke Appling walked more often than struck out (1,302 walks, 528 strikeouts); Ted Williams walked more often than struck out (2,021 walks, 709 strikeouts). Ted Williams is the more power-leaning hitter, with 521 of 2,654 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Luke Appling stole more often per game played (179 steals in 2,422 games for Luke Appling, 24 in 2,292 for Ted Williams). Ted Williams's slugging percentage of .634 tops Luke Appling's .398.
Luke Appling vs Ted Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Luke Appling or Ted Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Williams leads Luke Appling in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Luke Appling or Ted Williams hit more home runs?
- Ted Williams, with 521 to Luke Appling's 45.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Luke Appling's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Williams, with .344 to Luke Appling's .310.
- Who had more hits?
- Luke Appling, with 2,749 to Ted Williams's 2,654.