Jesse Burkett vs Sam Crawford: Career Stats Comparison
Jesse Burkett and Sam Crawford are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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 debuted in the 1890s. 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 leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- 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. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Jesse Burkett | Sam Crawford |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,067 | 2,517 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,426 | 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 not scored | 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 — driven by per-season impact — 2,640 PIV per season to 2,178 — rather than by longevity, since Jesse Burkett played 16 seasons to Sam Crawford's 19. 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
Jesse Burkett and Sam Crawford split the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card 6-6. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Jesse Burkett higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jesse Burkett and Sam Crawford careers compare
The careers of Jesse Burkett (1890–1905) and Sam Crawford (1899–1917) overlapped from 1899 to 1905, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,067 games for Jesse Burkett and 2,517 for Sam Crawford across 16 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Jesse Burkett walked more often than struck out (1,029 walks, 613 strikeouts), and Sam Crawford walked more often than struck out (760 walks, 580 strikeouts). On the bases, Jesse Burkett stole more often per game played (389 steals in 2,067 games for Jesse Burkett, 366 in 2,517 for Sam Crawford).
Jesse Burkett vs Sam Crawford: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jesse Burkett or Sam Crawford?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- 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.