Roy Campanella vs Cal Ripken: Career Stats Comparison
Cal Ripken has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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 Cal Ripken (1981–2001) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roy Campanella finished with 1,427 hits and 260 home runs; Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Cal Ripken, with 431 to Roy Campanella's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roy Campanella, with .859 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roy Campanella, with .283 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Roy Campanella's 1,427.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Roy Campanella's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roy Campanella, with 19,598 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Roy Campanella
Cal Ripken
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roy Campanella and Cal Ripken. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roy Campanella | Cal Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,455 | Leads: 3,001 |
| At-Bats | 5,050 | Leads: 11,551 |
| Runs | 787 | Leads: 1,647 |
| Hits | 1,427 | Leads: 3,184 |
| Doubles | 235 | Leads: 603 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 44 |
| Home Runs | 260 | Leads: 431 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,695 |
| Walks | 608 | Leads: 1,129 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 514 | 1,305 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 39 | 36 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .283 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .363 | .340 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .496 | .447 |
| OPS | Leads: .859 | .788 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roy Campanella edges Cal Ripken 19,598 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 1,031 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since Roy Campanella played 19 seasons to Cal Ripken'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).
Roy Campanella — top 3 seasons by OPS
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roy Campanella leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Cal Ripken owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roy Campanella. PIV agrees: Roy Campanella 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 Cal Ripken careers compare
Roy Campanella (1948–1957) was finished before Cal Ripken (1981–2001) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Roy Campanella appeared in 1,455 games to Cal Ripken's 3,001. At the plate, Roy Campanella walked more often than struck out (608 walks, 514 strikeouts), while Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129). Roy Campanella is the more power-leaning hitter, with 260 of 1,427 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Roy Campanella holds the edge, .363 to .340. Roy Campanella owns the better peak by OPS: 1.006 OPS in 1953 for Roy Campanella against .952 OPS in 1999 for Cal Ripken.
Roy Campanella vs Cal Ripken: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Campanella or Cal Ripken?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cal Ripken leads Roy Campanella in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roy Campanella or Cal Ripken hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to Roy Campanella's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roy Campanella, with .859 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roy Campanella, with .283 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Roy Campanella's 1,427.