Ken Boyer vs Ted Simmons: 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; Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 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 Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Boyer finished with 2,143 hits and 282 home runs; Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 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 Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Boyer, with .810 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Boyer, with .287 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Ken Boyer's 2,143.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Ken Boyer's 1,141.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Boyer, with 22,279 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
- Who won more championships? Ken Boyer, with 1 World Series title to Ted Simmons's 0.
Ken Boyer
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Boyer and Ted Simmons. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Boyer | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,034 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 7,455 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,104 | 1,074 |
| Hits | 2,143 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 318 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 68 | 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 282 | 248 |
| RBI | 1,141 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 713 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,017 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 105 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .287 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .349 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .462 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .810 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Boyer leads Ted Simmons 22,279 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 1,311 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Ken Boyer played 17 seasons to Ted Simmons's 21. 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
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Boyer leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Ted Simmons owns hits and RBI. 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 Ted Simmons careers compare
From 1968 through 1969, Ken Boyer and Ted Simmons were in the majors together. With 2,034 games against 2,456 across 17 and 21 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), while Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ken Boyer's hits: 282 of 2,143 for Ken Boyer, 248 of 2,472 for Ted Simmons. Ken Boyer was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Ken Boyer's slugging percentage of .462 tops Ted Simmons's .437.
Ken Boyer vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Boyer or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Boyer leads Ted Simmons in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Boyer or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ken Boyer, with 282 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Boyer, with .810 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Boyer, with .287 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Ken Boyer's 2,143.