Ernie Banks vs Roberto Clemente: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente 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). Ernie Banks played 1953–1971 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
Ernie Banks (1953–1971) and Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 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 hit more home runs? Ernie Banks, with 512 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Roberto Clemente
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Roberto Clemente. 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 | Ernie Banks | Roberto Clemente |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 2,433 |
| At-Bats | 9,421 | Leads: 9,454 |
| Runs | 1,305 | Leads: 1,416 |
| Hits | 2,583 | Leads: 3,000 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 440 |
| Triples | 90 | Leads: 166 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 240 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,305 |
| Walks | Leads: 763 | 621 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 1,230 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 83 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .317 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .359 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .475 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .834 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente leads Ernie Banks 34,131 to 30,636 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 1,612 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Ernie Banks's 19. 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).
Ernie Banks — top 3 seasons by OPS
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Ernie Banks owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roberto Clemente. PIV agrees: Roberto Clemente grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ernie Banks and Roberto Clemente careers compare
From 1955 through 1971, Ernie Banks and Roberto Clemente were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,528 games for Ernie Banks and 2,433 for Roberto Clemente across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763); Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621). Home runs make up a larger share of Ernie Banks's hits: 512 of 2,583 for Ernie Banks, 240 of 3,000 for Roberto Clemente. In slugging percentage, Ernie Banks holds the edge, .500 to .475.
Ernie Banks vs Roberto Clemente: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Roberto Clemente?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Ernie Banks in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Roberto Clemente hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.