Ernie Banks vs Billy Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Williams 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; Billy Williams played 1959–1976 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 Billy Williams (1959–1976) — 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; Billy Williams finished with 2,711 hits and 426 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 Billy Williams's 426.
- Who had the higher OPS? Billy Williams, with .853 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Billy Williams, with .290 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Billy Williams, with 2,711 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Billy Williams's 1,475.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Billy Williams, with 44,022 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
Ernie Banks
Billy Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Billy 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 | Ernie Banks | Billy Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 2,488 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 9,350 |
| Runs | 1,305 | Leads: 1,410 |
| Hits | 2,583 | Leads: 2,711 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 434 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 88 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 426 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,475 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 1,045 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 1,046 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 90 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .361 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .492 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .853 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Williams outpaces Ernie Banks 44,022 to 30,636 — driven by per-season impact — 2,446 PIV per season to 1,612 — rather than by longevity, since Billy Williams 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
Billy Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Williams 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 Billy Williams. PIV agrees: Billy Williams 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 Billy Williams careers compare
From 1959 through 1971, Ernie Banks and Billy Williams were in the majors together. With 2,528 games against 2,488 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763); Billy Williams struck out more than walked (1,046 to 1,045). Ernie Banks's slugging percentage of .500 tops Billy Williams's .492. On the peak-season lists, Ernie Banks's best year is 1958 at .980 OPS and Billy Williams's is 1972 at 1.005 OPS; Billy Williams has the stronger single season.
Ernie Banks vs Billy Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Billy Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Williams leads Ernie Banks in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Billy Williams hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Billy Williams's 426.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Billy Williams, with .853 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Billy Williams, with .290 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Williams, with 2,711 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.