Ernie Banks vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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 Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 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 Willie Stargell's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Stargell, with .282 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Willie Stargell's 1,540.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
- Who won more championships? Willie Stargell, with 2 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Willie Stargell. 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 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,305 | 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 475 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,540 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 50 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell outpaces Ernie Banks 42,804 to 30,636 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,038 PIV per season to 1,612, across 21 seasons to 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
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Banks leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Willie Stargell owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ernie Banks. Note that PIV actually grades Willie Stargell ahead, which means Ernie Banks's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ernie Banks and Willie Stargell careers compare
Ernie Banks and Willie Stargell were active at the same time between 1962 and 1971. The two careers are close in length, 2,528 games for Ernie Banks and 2,360 for Willie Stargell across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), and Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). In on-base percentage, Willie Stargell holds the edge, .360 to .330. Best seasons: 1958 for Ernie Banks (.980 OPS, 47 HR, 129 RBI, .313 avg) and 1973 for Willie Stargell (1.038 OPS, 44 HR, 119 RBI, .299 avg).
Ernie Banks vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Banks leads Willie Stargell in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Willie Stargell's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Stargell, with .282 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.