Roy Campanella vs Willie Wells: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Wells has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Willie Wells played ?–1948 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 Willie Wells (?–1948) — their careers are worth a careful side-by-side. Roy Campanella finished with 1,427 hits and 260 home runs; Willie Wells finished with 1,319 hits and 145 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 Willie Wells's 145.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Wells, with .943 to Roy Campanella's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Wells, with .327 to Roy Campanella's .283.
- Who had more hits? Roy Campanella, with 1,427 to Willie Wells's 1,319.
- Who drove in more runs? Roy Campanella, with 1,015 to Willie Wells's 875.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Wells, with 21,549 career PIV to Roy Campanella's 19,598.
- Who won more championships? Roy Campanella, with 1 World Series title to Willie Wells's 0.
Roy Campanella
Willie Wells
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roy Campanella and Willie Wells. 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 | Willie Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,455 | 1,068 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,050 | 4,030 |
| Runs | 787 | Leads: 956 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,427 | 1,319 |
| Doubles | 235 | Leads: 267 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 70 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 260 | 145 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,015 | 875 |
| Walks | Leads: 608 | 497 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 514 | 10 |
| Stolen Bases | 39 | Leads: 176 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .327 |
| On-Base % | .363 | Leads: .407 |
| Slugging % | .496 | Leads: .536 |
| OPS | .859 | Leads: .943 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Wells leads Roy Campanella 21,549 to 19,598 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie Wells played 27 seasons to Roy Campanella's 19, while Roy Campanella carries the higher per-season figure (1,031 to 798). 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
Willie Wells — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Wells leads in runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Roy Campanella owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Wells. PIV agrees: Willie Wells 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 Willie Wells careers compare
From 1948 through 1948, Roy Campanella and Willie Wells were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,455 games for Roy Campanella and 1,068 for Willie Wells across 19 and 27 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Roy Campanella walked more often than struck out (608 walks, 514 strikeouts); Willie Wells walked more often than struck out (497 walks, 10 strikeouts). Roy Campanella is the more power-leaning hitter, with 260 of 1,427 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Willie Wells stole more often per game played (39 steals in 1,455 games for Roy Campanella, 176 in 1,068 for Willie Wells).
Roy Campanella vs Willie Wells: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Campanella or Willie Wells?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Wells leads Roy Campanella in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roy Campanella or Willie Wells hit more home runs?
- Roy Campanella, with 260 to Willie Wells's 145.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Wells, with .943 to Roy Campanella's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Wells, with .327 to Roy Campanella's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Roy Campanella, with 1,427 to Willie Wells's 1,319.