Roy Campanella vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Simmons 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; Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 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 Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roy Campanella finished with 1,427 hits and 260 home runs; Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 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 Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roy Campanella, with .859 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Roy Campanella's .283.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Roy Campanella's 1,427.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Roy Campanella's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Simmons, with 20,131 career PIV to Roy Campanella's 19,598.
- Who won more championships? Roy Campanella, with 1 World Series title to Ted Simmons's 0.
Roy Campanella
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roy Campanella and Ted Simmons. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roy Campanella | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,455 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 5,050 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | 787 | Leads: 1,074 |
| Hits | 1,427 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 235 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 260 | 248 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 608 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 514 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 39 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .363 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .496 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .859 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Simmons edges Roy Campanella 20,131 to 19,598 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ted Simmons played 21 seasons to Roy Campanella's 19, while Roy Campanella carries the higher per-season figure (1,031 to 959). 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
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ted Simmons leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Roy Campanella owns home runs, stolen bases, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ted Simmons. PIV agrees: Ted Simmons 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 Ted Simmons careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Roy Campanella's ended in 1957, and Ted Simmons debuted in 1968. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Roy Campanella appeared in 1,455 games to Ted Simmons's 2,456. At the plate, Roy Campanella walked more often than struck out (608 walks, 514 strikeouts), and Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Roy Campanella's hits: 260 of 1,427 for Roy Campanella, 248 of 2,472 for Ted Simmons. Roy Campanella's slugging percentage of .496 tops Ted Simmons's .437.
Roy Campanella vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Campanella or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Roy Campanella in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roy Campanella or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Roy Campanella, with 260 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roy Campanella, with .859 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Roy Campanella's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Roy Campanella's 1,427.