Ken Boyer vs Bob Elliott: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Boyer and Bob Elliott are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ken Boyer played 1955–1969 as a hitter; Bob Elliott played 1939–1953 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 Bob Elliott (1939–1953) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Boyer finished with 2,143 hits and 282 home runs; Bob Elliott finished with 2,061 hits and 170 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 Bob Elliott's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bob Elliott, with .815 to Ken Boyer's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bob Elliott, with .289 to Ken Boyer's .287.
- Who had more hits? Ken Boyer, with 2,143 to Bob Elliott's 2,061.
- Who drove in more runs? Bob Elliott, with 1,195 to Ken Boyer's 1,141.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bob Elliott, with 22,824 career PIV to Ken Boyer's 22,279.
- Who won more championships? Ken Boyer, with 1 World Series title to Bob Elliott's 0.
Ken Boyer
Bob Elliott
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Boyer and Bob Elliott. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Boyer | Bob Elliott |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,034 | 1,978 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,455 | 7,141 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,104 | 1,064 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,143 | 2,061 |
| Doubles | 318 | Leads: 382 |
| Triples | 68 | Leads: 94 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 282 | 170 |
| RBI | 1,141 | Leads: 1,195 |
| Walks | 713 | Leads: 967 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,017 | 604 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 105 | 60 |
| Batting Avg | .287 | Leads: .289 |
| On-Base % | .349 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .462 | .440 |
| OPS | .810 | Leads: .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Elliott edges Ken Boyer 22,824 to 22,279 — driven by per-season impact — 1,427 PIV per season to 1,311 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Elliott played 16 seasons to Ken Boyer'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
Bob Elliott — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Elliott leads in RBI, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Ken Boyer owns hits, home runs, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Elliott. PIV agrees: Bob Elliott 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 Bob Elliott careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Bob Elliott's ended in 1953, and Ken Boyer debuted in 1955. The two careers are close in length, 2,034 games for Ken Boyer and 1,978 for Bob Elliott across 17 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Ken Boyer struck out more than walked (1,017 to 713), but Bob Elliott walked more often than struck out (967 walks, 604 strikeouts). Ken Boyer is the more power-leaning hitter, with 282 of 2,143 hits leaving the park. Ken Boyer was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Bob Elliott's on-base percentage of .375 tops Ken Boyer's .349.
Ken Boyer vs Bob Elliott: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Ken Boyer or Bob Elliott hit more home runs?
- Ken Boyer, with 282 to Bob Elliott's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bob Elliott, with .815 to Ken Boyer's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bob Elliott, with .289 to Ken Boyer's .287.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Boyer, with 2,143 to Bob Elliott's 2,061.