Jesse Burkett vs Sam Crawford: Career Stats Comparison
Sam Crawford has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Jesse Burkett played 1890–1905 as a hitter; Sam Crawford played 1899–1917 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
Jesse Burkett (1890–1905) and Sam Crawford (1899–1917) — both broke in during the 1890s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Jesse Burkett finished with 2,850 hits and 75 home runs; Sam Crawford finished with 2,961 hits and 97 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Sam Crawford, with 97 to Jesse Burkett's 75.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jesse Burkett, with .861 to Sam Crawford's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jesse Burkett, with .338 to Sam Crawford's .309.
- Who had more hits? Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Jesse Burkett's 2,850.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Crawford, with 1,519 to Jesse Burkett's 952.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jesse Burkett, with 42,233 career PIV to Sam Crawford's 41,381.
Jesse Burkett
Sam Crawford
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jesse Burkett and Sam Crawford. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jesse Burkett | Sam Crawford |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,067 | Leads: 2,517 |
| At-Bats | 8,426 | Leads: 9,570 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,720 | 1,391 |
| Hits | 2,850 | Leads: 2,961 |
| Doubles | 320 | Leads: 458 |
| Triples | 182 | Leads: 309 |
| Home Runs | 75 | Leads: 97 |
| RBI | 952 | Leads: 1,519 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,029 | 760 |
| Strikeouts | 613 | 580 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 389 | 366 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .338 | .309 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .415 | .362 |
| Slugging % | .446 | Leads: .452 |
| OPS | Leads: .861 | .814 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jesse Burkett edges Sam Crawford 42,233 to 41,381 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,640 vs 2,178 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Jesse Burkett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Sam Crawford — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jesse Burkett leads in runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Sam Crawford owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jesse Burkett. PIV agrees: Jesse Burkett grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Jesse Burkett vs Sam Crawford: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jesse Burkett or Sam Crawford?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sam Crawford leads Jesse Burkett in 8 of 14 categories.
- Did Jesse Burkett or Sam Crawford hit more home runs?
- Sam Crawford, with 97 to Jesse Burkett's 75.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jesse Burkett, with .861 to Sam Crawford's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jesse Burkett, with .338 to Sam Crawford's .309.
- Who had more hits?
- Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Jesse Burkett's 2,850.