Jack Clark vs Dale Murphy: Career Stats Comparison
Dale Murphy 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). Jack Clark played 1975–1992 as a hitter; Dale Murphy played 1976–1993 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
Jack Clark (1975–1992) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Jack Clark finished with 1,826 hits and 340 home runs; Dale Murphy finished with 2,111 hits and 398 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dale Murphy, with 398 to Jack Clark's 340.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jack Clark, with .854 to Dale Murphy's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jack Clark, with .267 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits? Dale Murphy, with 2,111 to Jack Clark's 1,826.
- Who drove in more runs? Dale Murphy, with 1,266 to Jack Clark's 1,180.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jack Clark, with 30,243 career PIV to Dale Murphy's 24,431.
Jack Clark
Dale Murphy
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jack Clark and Dale Murphy. 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 | Jack Clark | Dale Murphy |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,994 | Leads: 2,180 |
| At-Bats | 6,847 | Leads: 7,960 |
| Runs | 1,118 | Leads: 1,197 |
| Hits | 1,826 | Leads: 2,111 |
| Doubles | 332 | Leads: 350 |
| Triples | 39 | 39 |
| Home Runs | 340 | Leads: 398 |
| RBI | 1,180 | Leads: 1,266 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,262 | 986 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 1,748 |
| Stolen Bases | 77 | Leads: 161 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .267 | .265 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .379 | .346 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .476 | .469 |
| OPS | Leads: .854 | .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jack Clark leads Dale Murphy 30,243 to 24,431 — driven by per-season impact — 1,680 PIV per season to 1,286 — rather than by longevity, since Jack Clark played 18 seasons to Dale Murphy'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).
Jack Clark — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dale Murphy — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dale Murphy leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jack Clark owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dale Murphy. Note that PIV actually grades Jack Clark ahead, which means Dale Murphy's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jack Clark and Dale Murphy careers compare
The careers of Jack Clark (1975–1992) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) overlapped from 1976 to 1992, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,994 games for Jack Clark and 2,180 for Dale Murphy across 18 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jack Clark struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,262); Dale Murphy struck out more than walked (1,748 to 986). On the bases, Dale Murphy stole more often per game played (77 steals in 1,994 games for Jack Clark, 161 in 2,180 for Dale Murphy). In slugging percentage, Jack Clark holds the edge, .476 to .469.
Jack Clark vs Dale Murphy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jack Clark or Dale Murphy?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dale Murphy leads Jack Clark in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jack Clark or Dale Murphy hit more home runs?
- Dale Murphy, with 398 to Jack Clark's 340.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jack Clark, with .854 to Dale Murphy's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jack Clark, with .267 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits?
- Dale Murphy, with 2,111 to Jack Clark's 1,826.