Jack Clark vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker 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). Jack Clark played 1975–1992 as a hitter; Dave Parker played 1973–1991 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 Dave Parker (1973–1991) — 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; Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jack Clark, with 340 to Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jack Clark, with .854 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Jack Clark's .267.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Jack Clark's 1,826.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Jack Clark's 1,180.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jack Clark, with 30,243 career PIV to Dave Parker's 23,542.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Jack Clark's 0.
Jack Clark
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jack Clark and Dave Parker. 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 | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,994 | Leads: 2,466 |
| At-Bats | 6,847 | Leads: 9,358 |
| Runs | 1,118 | Leads: 1,272 |
| Hits | 1,826 | Leads: 2,712 |
| Doubles | 332 | Leads: 526 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 340 | 339 |
| RBI | 1,180 | Leads: 1,493 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,262 | 683 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | 77 | Leads: 154 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .379 | .339 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .476 | .471 |
| OPS | Leads: .854 | .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jack Clark leads Dave Parker 30,243 to 23,542 — driven by per-season impact — 1,680 PIV per season to 1,177 — rather than by longevity, since Jack Clark played 18 seasons to Dave Parker's 20. 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
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Parker leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Jack Clark owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. Note that PIV actually grades Jack Clark ahead, which means Dave Parker's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jack Clark and Dave Parker careers compare
Jack Clark and Dave Parker were active at the same time between 1975 and 1991. With 1,994 games against 2,466 across 18 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Jack Clark struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,262), and Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683). Home runs make up a larger share of Jack Clark's hits: 340 of 1,826 for Jack Clark, 339 of 2,712 for Dave Parker. On the bases, Dave Parker stole more often per game played (77 steals in 1,994 games for Jack Clark, 154 in 2,466 for Dave Parker).
Jack Clark vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jack Clark or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Jack Clark in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jack Clark or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Jack Clark, with 340 to Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jack Clark, with .854 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Jack Clark's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Jack Clark's 1,826.