Jack Clark vs Rusty Staub: Career Stats Comparison
Rusty Staub 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; Rusty Staub played 1963–1985 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 Rusty Staub (1963–1985) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jack Clark finished with 1,826 hits and 340 home runs; Rusty Staub finished with 2,716 hits and 292 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 Rusty Staub's 292.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jack Clark, with .854 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rusty Staub, with .279 to Jack Clark's .267.
- Who had more hits? Rusty Staub, with 2,716 to Jack Clark's 1,826.
- Who drove in more runs? Rusty Staub, with 1,466 to Jack Clark's 1,180.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rusty Staub, with 30,346 career PIV to Jack Clark's 30,243.
Jack Clark
Rusty Staub
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jack Clark and Rusty Staub. 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jack Clark | Rusty Staub |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,994 | Leads: 2,951 |
| At-Bats | 6,847 | Leads: 9,720 |
| Runs | 1,118 | Leads: 1,189 |
| Hits | 1,826 | Leads: 2,716 |
| Doubles | 332 | Leads: 499 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 340 | 292 |
| RBI | 1,180 | Leads: 1,466 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,262 | 1,255 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 888 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 77 | 47 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .379 | .362 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .476 | .431 |
| OPS | Leads: .854 | .793 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rusty Staub edges Jack Clark 30,346 to 30,243 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rusty Staub played 24 seasons to Jack Clark's 18, while Jack Clark carries the higher per-season figure (1,680 to 1,264). 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
Rusty Staub — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rusty Staub leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Jack Clark owns home runs, stolen bases, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rusty Staub. PIV agrees: Rusty Staub 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 Rusty Staub careers compare
From 1975 through 1985, Jack Clark and Rusty Staub were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,994 games for Jack Clark and 2,951 for Rusty Staub across 18 and 24 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Jack Clark struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,262), while Rusty Staub walked more often than struck out (1,255 walks, 888 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Jack Clark's hits: 340 of 1,826 for Jack Clark, 292 of 2,716 for Rusty Staub.
Jack Clark vs Rusty Staub: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jack Clark or Rusty Staub?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rusty Staub leads Jack Clark in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jack Clark or Rusty Staub hit more home runs?
- Jack Clark, with 340 to Rusty Staub's 292.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jack Clark, with .854 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rusty Staub, with .279 to Jack Clark's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Rusty Staub, with 2,716 to Jack Clark's 1,826.