Fred Clarke vs Willie Keeler: Career Stats Comparison
Fred Clarke 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). Fred Clarke played 1894–1915 as a hitter; Willie Keeler played 1892–1910 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 Willie Keeler (1892–1910) — both debuted in the 1890s. Fred Clarke finished with 2,678 hits and 67 home runs; Willie Keeler finished with 2,932 hits and 33 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Fred Clarke, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Fred Clarke, with 67 to Willie Keeler's 33.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Clarke, with .814 to Willie Keeler's .802.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Keeler, with .341 to Fred Clarke's .312.
- Who had more hits? Willie Keeler, with 2,932 to Fred Clarke's 2,678.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred Clarke, with 1,015 to Willie Keeler's 810.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Clarke, with 34,764 career PIV to Willie Keeler's 29,044.
Fred Clarke
Willie Keeler
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Clarke and Willie Keeler. 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 | Willie Keeler |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,246 | 2,123 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,584 | 8,591 |
| Runs | 1,622 | Leads: 1,719 |
| Hits | 2,678 | Leads: 2,932 |
| Doubles | Leads: 361 | 241 |
| Triples | Leads: 220 | 145 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 67 | 33 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,015 | 810 |
| Walks | Leads: 875 | 524 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 511 | 136 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 509 | 495 |
| Batting Avg | .312 | Leads: .341 |
| On-Base % | .386 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .429 | .415 |
| OPS | Leads: .814 | .802 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Clarke leads Willie Keeler 34,764 to 29,044 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,655 PIV per season to 1,529, across 21 seasons to 19. 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
Willie Keeler — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Fred Clarke leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: doubles, triples, home runs, RBI, and others. Willie Keeler leads 4: runs, hits, batting average, and on-base percentage. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred Clarke. PIV agrees: Fred Clarke 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 Willie Keeler careers compare
Fred Clarke and Willie Keeler were active at the same time between 1894 and 1910. With 2,246 games against 2,123 across 21 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Willie Keeler are runs (1,719 to 1,622), hits (2,932 to 2,678), and batting average (.341 to .312). At the plate, Fred Clarke walked more often than struck out (875 walks, 511 strikeouts), and Willie Keeler walked more often than struck out (524 walks, 136 strikeouts). Fred Clarke is the more power-leaning hitter, with 67 of 2,678 hits leaving the park. Willie Keeler was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Fred Clarke vs Willie Keeler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Clarke or Willie Keeler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred Clarke leads Willie Keeler in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Fred Clarke or Willie Keeler hit more home runs?
- Fred Clarke, with 67 to Willie Keeler's 33.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Clarke, with .814 to Willie Keeler's .802.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Keeler, with .341 to Fred Clarke's .312.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Keeler, with 2,932 to Fred Clarke's 2,678.