Jack Clark vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Rice has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jack Clark played 1975–1992 as a hitter; Jim Rice played 1974–1989 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 Jim Rice (1974–1989) — both debuted in the 1970s. Jack Clark finished with 1,826 hits and 340 home runs; Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Jim Rice, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Rice, with 382 to Jack Clark's 340.
- Who had the higher OPS? Neither — both are at .854.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Jack Clark's .267.
- Who had more hits? Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Jack Clark's 1,826.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Jack Clark's 1,180.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Jack Clark's 30,243.
Jack Clark
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jack Clark and Jim Rice. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,994 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,847 | 8,225 |
| Runs | 1,118 | Leads: 1,249 |
| Hits | 1,826 | Leads: 2,452 |
| Doubles | 332 | Leads: 373 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | 340 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | 1,180 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,262 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 77 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .379 | .352 |
| Slugging % | .476 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | Leads: .854 | .854 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice edges Jack Clark 31,418 to 30,243 — driven by per-season impact — 1,964 PIV per season to 1,680 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Rice played 16 seasons to Jack Clark's 18. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Jim Rice leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Jack Clark leads 4: walks, stolen bases, on-base percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Rice. PIV agrees: Jim Rice grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jack Clark and Jim Rice careers compare
The careers of Jack Clark (1975–1992) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) overlapped from 1975 to 1989, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,994 games for Jack Clark and 2,089 for Jim Rice across 18 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Jack Clark comes out ahead, it is in walks (1,262 to 670), stolen bases (77 to 58), and on-base percentage (.379 to .352). At the plate, Jack Clark struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,262), and Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Jim Rice's slugging percentage of .502 tops Jack Clark's .476.
Jack Clark vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jack Clark or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Rice leads Jack Clark in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Jack Clark or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Jim Rice, with 382 to Jack Clark's 340.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Neither — both are at .854.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Jack Clark's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Jack Clark's 1,826.