Ken Boyer vs Roberto Clemente: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; 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
Ken Boyer (1955–1969) and Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ken Boyer finished with 2,143 hits and 282 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? Ken Boyer, with 282 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Ken Boyer's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Ken Boyer's .287.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Ken Boyer's 2,143.
- Who drove in more runs? Roberto Clemente, with 1,305 to Ken Boyer's 1,141.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Ken Boyer's 22,279.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Ken Boyer's 1.
Ken Boyer
Roberto Clemente
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Boyer 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 | Ken Boyer | Roberto Clemente |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,034 | Leads: 2,433 |
| At-Bats | 7,455 | Leads: 9,454 |
| Runs | 1,104 | Leads: 1,416 |
| Hits | 2,143 | Leads: 3,000 |
| Doubles | 318 | Leads: 440 |
| Triples | 68 | Leads: 166 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 282 | 240 |
| RBI | 1,141 | Leads: 1,305 |
| Walks | Leads: 713 | 621 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,017 | 1,230 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 105 | 83 |
| Batting Avg | .287 | Leads: .317 |
| On-Base % | .349 | Leads: .359 |
| Slugging % | .462 | Leads: .475 |
| OPS | .810 | Leads: .834 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente outpaces Ken Boyer 34,131 to 22,279 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,896 PIV per season to 1,311, across 18 seasons to 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
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Ken Boyer owns home runs and stolen bases. 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 Ken Boyer and Roberto Clemente careers compare
The careers of Ken Boyer (1955–1969) and Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) overlapped from 1955 to 1969, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,034 games for Ken Boyer and 2,433 for Roberto Clemente across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ken Boyer's edges on the table are home runs (282 to 240), walks (713 to 621), and stolen bases (105 to 83). Ken Boyer struck out more than walked (1,017 to 713); Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621). Ken Boyer is the more power-leaning hitter, with 282 of 2,143 hits leaving the park.
Ken Boyer vs Roberto Clemente: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Boyer or Roberto Clemente?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Ken Boyer in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Boyer or Roberto Clemente hit more home runs?
- Ken Boyer, with 282 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Ken Boyer's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Ken Boyer's .287.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Ken Boyer's 2,143.