Roy Campanella vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Roy Campanella played 1948–1957 as a hitter; Al Kaline played 1953–1974 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
Roy Campanella (1948–1957) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roy Campanella finished with 1,427 hits and 260 home runs; Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Al Kaline, with 399 to Roy Campanella's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roy Campanella, with .859 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Roy Campanella's .283.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Roy Campanella's 1,427.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Roy Campanella's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Roy Campanella's 19,598.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Roy Campanella
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roy Campanella and Al Kaline. 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 1940s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roy Campanella | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,455 | Leads: 2,834 |
| At-Bats | 5,050 | Leads: 10,116 |
| Runs | 787 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 1,427 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | 235 | Leads: 498 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 260 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Walks | 608 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 514 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | 39 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | .363 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .496 | .480 |
| OPS | Leads: .859 | .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Roy Campanella 45,087 to 19,598 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 1,031, across 22 seasons to 19. 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).
Roy Campanella — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Roy Campanella owns OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Kaline. PIV agrees: Al Kaline grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roy Campanella and Al Kaline careers compare
From 1953 through 1957, Roy Campanella and Al Kaline were in the majors together. The table compares 1,455 games of Roy Campanella with 2,834 of Al Kaline across 19 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Roy Campanella comes out ahead, it is in slugging percentage (.496 to .480) and OPS (.859 to .855). Roy Campanella walked more often than struck out (608 walks, 514 strikeouts); Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts). Roy Campanella is the more power-leaning hitter, with 260 of 1,427 hits leaving the park.
Roy Campanella vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Campanella or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Roy Campanella in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roy Campanella or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Roy Campanella's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roy Campanella, with .859 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Roy Campanella's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Roy Campanella's 1,427.