Roy Campanella vs Jackie Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Jackie Robinson 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; Jackie Robinson played 1947–1956 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 Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) — both broke in during the 1940s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Roy Campanella finished with 1,427 hits and 260 home runs; Jackie Robinson finished with 1,568 hits and 141 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Roy Campanella, with 260 to Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Roy Campanella's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Roy Campanella's .283.
- Who had more hits? Jackie Robinson, with 1,568 to Roy Campanella's 1,427.
- Who drove in more runs? Roy Campanella, with 1,015 to Jackie Robinson's 764.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jackie Robinson, with 25,382 career PIV to Roy Campanella's 19,598.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Roy Campanella
Jackie Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roy Campanella and Jackie Robinson. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roy Campanella | Jackie Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,455 | 1,418 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,050 | 5,006 |
| Runs | 787 | Leads: 974 |
| Hits | 1,427 | Leads: 1,568 |
| Doubles | 235 | Leads: 287 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 260 | 141 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,015 | 764 |
| Walks | 608 | Leads: 756 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 514 | 291 |
| Stolen Bases | 39 | Leads: 203 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .363 | Leads: .410 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .496 | .477 |
| OPS | .859 | Leads: .887 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jackie Robinson leads Roy Campanella 25,382 to 19,598 — driven by per-season impact — 2,307 PIV per season to 1,031 — rather than by longevity, since Jackie Robinson played 11 seasons to Roy Campanella's 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
Jackie Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jackie Robinson leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Roy Campanella owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jackie Robinson. PIV agrees: Jackie Robinson 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 Jackie Robinson careers compare
Roy Campanella and Jackie Robinson were active at the same time between 1948 and 1956. The two careers are close in length, 1,455 games for Roy Campanella and 1,418 for Jackie Robinson across 19 and 11 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Roy Campanella walked more often than struck out (608 walks, 514 strikeouts), and Jackie Robinson walked more often than struck out (756 walks, 291 strikeouts). Roy Campanella is the more power-leaning hitter, with 260 of 1,427 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Jackie Robinson stole more often per game played (39 steals in 1,455 games for Roy Campanella, 203 in 1,418 for Jackie Robinson).
Roy Campanella vs Jackie Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Campanella or Jackie Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jackie Robinson leads Roy Campanella in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roy Campanella or Jackie Robinson hit more home runs?
- Roy Campanella, with 260 to Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Roy Campanella's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Roy Campanella's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Jackie Robinson, with 1,568 to Roy Campanella's 1,427.