Ken Boyer vs John McGraw: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Boyer 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). Ken Boyer played 1955–1969 as a hitter; John McGraw played 1891–1907 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 John McGraw (1891–1907) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1890s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Boyer finished with 2,143 hits and 282 home runs; John McGraw finished with 1,309 hits and 13 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 John McGraw's 13.
- Who had the higher OPS? John McGraw, with .876 to Ken Boyer's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? John McGraw, with .334 to Ken Boyer's .287.
- Who had more hits? Ken Boyer, with 2,143 to John McGraw's 1,309.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Boyer, with 1,141 to John McGraw's 462.
- Who has the higher career PIV? John McGraw, with 22,730 career PIV to Ken Boyer's 22,279.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Ken Boyer
John McGraw
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Boyer and John McGraw. 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 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Boyer | John McGraw |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,034 | 1,100 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,455 | 3,924 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,104 | 1,024 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,143 | 1,309 |
| Doubles | Leads: 318 | 121 |
| Triples | 68 | Leads: 70 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 282 | 13 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,141 | 462 |
| Walks | 713 | Leads: 836 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,017 | 155 |
| Stolen Bases | 105 | Leads: 436 |
| Batting Avg | .287 | Leads: .334 |
| On-Base % | .349 | Leads: .466 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .462 | .410 |
| OPS | .810 | Leads: .876 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John McGraw edges Ken Boyer 22,730 to 22,279 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: John McGraw played 18 seasons to Ken Boyer's 17, while Ken Boyer carries the higher per-season figure (1,311 to 1,263). 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
John McGraw — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John McGraw leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Ken Boyer owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John McGraw. PIV agrees: John McGraw 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 John McGraw careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: John McGraw's ended in 1907, and Ken Boyer debuted in 1955. The table compares 2,034 games of Ken Boyer with 1,100 of John McGraw across 17 and 18 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. At the plate, Ken Boyer struck out more than walked (1,017 to 713), while John McGraw walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 155 strikeouts). Ken Boyer is the more power-leaning hitter, with 282 of 2,143 hits leaving the park. John McGraw was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. John McGraw's on-base percentage of .466 tops Ken Boyer's .349.
Ken Boyer vs John McGraw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Boyer or John McGraw?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Boyer leads John McGraw in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Boyer or John McGraw hit more home runs?
- Ken Boyer, with 282 to John McGraw's 13.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- John McGraw, with .876 to Ken Boyer's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- John McGraw, with .334 to Ken Boyer's .287.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Boyer, with 2,143 to John McGraw's 1,309.