Ken Boyer vs Ron Cey: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Boyer 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). Ken Boyer played 1955–1969 as a hitter; Ron Cey played 1971–1987 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
Ken Boyer (1955–1969) and Ron Cey (1971–1987) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Boyer finished with 2,143 hits and 282 home runs; Ron Cey finished with 1,868 hits and 316 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ron Cey, with 316 to Ken Boyer's 282.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Boyer, with .810 to Ron Cey's .799.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Boyer, with .287 to Ron Cey's .261.
- Who had more hits? Ken Boyer, with 2,143 to Ron Cey's 1,868.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Boyer, with 1,141 to Ron Cey's 1,139.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Boyer, with 22,279 career PIV to Ron Cey's 19,506.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Ken Boyer
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Boyer and Ron Cey. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Boyer | Ron Cey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,034 | Leads: 2,073 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,455 | 7,162 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,104 | 977 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,143 | 1,868 |
| Doubles | 318 | Leads: 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 68 | 21 |
| Home Runs | 282 | Leads: 316 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,141 | 1,139 |
| Walks | 713 | Leads: 1,012 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,017 | 1,235 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 105 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .287 | .261 |
| On-Base % | .349 | Leads: .354 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .462 | .445 |
| OPS | Leads: .810 | .799 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Boyer leads Ron Cey 22,279 to 19,506 — driven by per-season impact — 1,311 PIV per season to 1,147 — rather than by longevity, since Ken Boyer played 17 seasons to Ron Cey's 17. 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).
Ken Boyer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ron Cey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Boyer leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ron Cey owns home runs and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Boyer. PIV agrees: Ken Boyer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ken Boyer and Ron Cey careers compare
Ken Boyer (1955–1969) was finished before Ron Cey (1971–1987) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,034 games against 2,073 across 17 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Ken Boyer struck out more than walked (1,017 to 713), and Ron Cey struck out more than walked (1,235 to 1,012). Ken Boyer was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Ken Boyer holds the edge, .462 to .445. On the peak-season lists, Ken Boyer's best year is 1960 at .932 OPS and Ron Cey's is 1979 at .888 OPS; Ken Boyer has the stronger single season.
Ken Boyer vs Ron Cey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Boyer or Ron Cey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Boyer leads Ron Cey in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Boyer or Ron Cey hit more home runs?
- Ron Cey, with 316 to Ken Boyer's 282.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Boyer, with .810 to Ron Cey's .799.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Boyer, with .287 to Ron Cey's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Boyer, with 2,143 to Ron Cey's 1,868.