Fred Clarke vs Sam Crawford: Career Stats Comparison
Fred Clarke and Sam Crawford are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Fred Clarke played 1894–1915 as a hitter; Sam Crawford played 1899–1917 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
Fred Clarke (1894–1915) and Sam Crawford (1899–1917) — both debuted in the 1890s. Fred Clarke finished with 2,678 hits and 67 home runs; Sam Crawford finished with 2,961 hits and 97 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Who hit more home runs? Sam Crawford, with 97 to Fred Clarke's 67.
- Who had the higher OPS? Neither — both are at .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred Clarke, with .312 to Sam Crawford's .309.
- Who had more hits? Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Fred Clarke's 2,678.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Crawford, with 1,519 to Fred Clarke's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sam Crawford, with 41,381 career PIV to Fred Clarke's 34,764.
Fred Clarke
Sam Crawford
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Clarke and Sam Crawford. 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 | Fred Clarke | Sam Crawford |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,246 | 2,517 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,584 | 9,570 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,391 |
| Hits | 2,678 | Leads: 2,961 |
| Doubles | 361 | Leads: 458 |
| Triples | 220 | Leads: 309 |
| Home Runs | 67 | Leads: 97 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,519 |
| Walks | Leads: 875 | 760 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 511 | 580 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 509 | 366 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .312 | .309 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .362 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .452 |
| OPS | Leads: .814 | .814 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sam Crawford leads Fred Clarke 41,381 to 34,764 — driven by per-season impact — 2,178 PIV per season to 1,655 — rather than by longevity, since Sam Crawford played 19 seasons to Fred Clarke's 21. 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).
Fred Clarke — top 3 seasons by OPS
Sam Crawford — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Fred Clarke and Sam Crawford split the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card 6-6. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Sam Crawford higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fred Clarke and Sam Crawford careers compare
From 1899 through 1915, Fred Clarke and Sam Crawford were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,246 games for Fred Clarke and 2,517 for Sam Crawford across 21 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Fred Clarke walked more often than struck out (875 walks, 511 strikeouts), and Sam Crawford walked more often than struck out (760 walks, 580 strikeouts). Sam Crawford is the more power-leaning hitter, with 97 of 2,961 hits leaving the park. Fred Clarke was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Fred Clarke vs Sam Crawford: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Clarke or Sam Crawford?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Did Fred Clarke or Sam Crawford hit more home runs?
- Sam Crawford, with 97 to Fred Clarke's 67.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Neither — both are at .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred Clarke, with .312 to Sam Crawford's .309.
- Who had more hits?
- Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Fred Clarke's 2,678.