Fred Clarke vs Ed Delahanty: Career Stats Comparison
Ed Delahanty has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Fred Clarke played 1894–1915 as a hitter; Ed Delahanty played 1888–1903 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 Ed Delahanty (1888–1903) — they debuted in the 1890s and the 1880s respectively and share 10 seasons. Fred Clarke finished with 2,678 hits and 67 home runs; Ed Delahanty finished with 2,597 hits and 101 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Ed Delahanty, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Ed Delahanty, with 101 to Fred Clarke's 67.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ed Delahanty, with .917 to Fred Clarke's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ed Delahanty, with .346 to Fred Clarke's .312.
- Who had more hits? Fred Clarke, with 2,678 to Ed Delahanty's 2,597.
- Who drove in more runs? Ed Delahanty, with 1,466 to Fred Clarke's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ed Delahanty, with 44,188 career PIV to Fred Clarke's 34,764.
Fred Clarke
Ed Delahanty
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Clarke and Ed Delahanty. 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 | Ed Delahanty |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,246 | 1,837 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,584 | 7,510 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,600 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,678 | 2,597 |
| Doubles | 361 | Leads: 522 |
| Triples | Leads: 220 | 186 |
| Home Runs | 67 | Leads: 101 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,466 |
| Walks | Leads: 875 | 742 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 511 | 439 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 509 | 456 |
| Batting Avg | .312 | Leads: .346 |
| On-Base % | .386 | Leads: .411 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .814 | Leads: .917 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ed Delahanty leads Fred Clarke 44,188 to 34,764 — driven by per-season impact — 2,762 PIV per season to 1,655 — rather than by longevity, since Ed Delahanty played 16 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
Ed Delahanty — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Ed Delahanty leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: doubles, home runs, RBI, batting average, and others. Fred Clarke leads 5: runs, hits, triples, walks, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ed Delahanty. PIV agrees: Ed Delahanty grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fred Clarke and Ed Delahanty careers compare
Fred Clarke and Ed Delahanty were active at the same time between 1894 and 1903. With 2,246 games against 1,837 across 21 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Fred Clarke walked more often than struck out (875 walks, 511 strikeouts), and Ed Delahanty walked more often than struck out (742 walks, 439 strikeouts). Ed Delahanty is the more power-leaning hitter, with 101 of 2,597 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Ed Delahanty stole more often per game played (509 steals in 2,246 games for Fred Clarke, 456 in 1,837 for Ed Delahanty). In slugging percentage, Ed Delahanty holds the edge, .505 to .429.
Fred Clarke vs Ed Delahanty: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Clarke or Ed Delahanty?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ed Delahanty leads Fred Clarke in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Fred Clarke or Ed Delahanty hit more home runs?
- Ed Delahanty, with 101 to Fred Clarke's 67.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ed Delahanty, with .917 to Fred Clarke's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ed Delahanty, with .346 to Fred Clarke's .312.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred Clarke, with 2,678 to Ed Delahanty's 2,597.