Fred Clarke vs Nap Lajoie: Career Stats Comparison
Nap Lajoie has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Fred Clarke played 1894–1915 as a hitter; Nap Lajoie played 1896–1916 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 Nap Lajoie (1896–1916) — both broke in during the 1890s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Fred Clarke finished with 2,678 hits and 67 home runs; Nap Lajoie finished with 3,243 hits and 82 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Nap Lajoie, with 82 to Fred Clarke's 67.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nap Lajoie, with .846 to Fred Clarke's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nap Lajoie, with .338 to Fred Clarke's .312.
- Who had more hits? Nap Lajoie, with 3,243 to Fred Clarke's 2,678.
- Who drove in more runs? Nap Lajoie, with 1,599 to Fred Clarke's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nap Lajoie, with 47,526 career PIV to Fred Clarke's 34,764.
- Who won more championships? Fred Clarke, with 1 World Series title to Nap Lajoie's 0.
Fred Clarke
Nap Lajoie
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Clarke and Nap Lajoie. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Fred Clarke | Nap Lajoie |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,246 | Leads: 2,480 |
| At-Bats | 8,584 | Leads: 9,590 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,504 |
| Hits | 2,678 | Leads: 3,243 |
| Doubles | 361 | Leads: 657 |
| Triples | Leads: 220 | 163 |
| Home Runs | 67 | Leads: 82 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,599 |
| Walks | Leads: 875 | 516 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 511 | 347 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 509 | 380 |
| Batting Avg | .312 | Leads: .338 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .380 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .466 |
| OPS | .814 | Leads: .846 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nap Lajoie outpaces Fred Clarke 47,526 to 34,764 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,160 PIV per season to 1,655, across 22 seasons to 21. 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).
Fred Clarke — top 3 seasons by OPS
Nap Lajoie — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nap Lajoie leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Fred Clarke owns runs, stolen bases, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nap Lajoie. PIV agrees: Nap Lajoie 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 Nap Lajoie careers compare
Fred Clarke and Nap Lajoie were active at the same time between 1896 and 1915. With 2,246 games against 2,480 across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Fred Clarke walked more often than struck out (875 walks, 511 strikeouts); Nap Lajoie walked more often than struck out (516 walks, 347 strikeouts). On the bases, Fred Clarke stole more often per game played (509 steals in 2,246 games for Fred Clarke, 380 in 2,480 for Nap Lajoie). Fred Clarke's on-base percentage of .386 tops Nap Lajoie's .380.
Fred Clarke vs Nap Lajoie: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Clarke or Nap Lajoie?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nap Lajoie leads Fred Clarke in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred Clarke or Nap Lajoie hit more home runs?
- Nap Lajoie, with 82 to Fred Clarke's 67.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nap Lajoie, with .846 to Fred Clarke's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nap Lajoie, with .338 to Fred Clarke's .312.
- Who had more hits?
- Nap Lajoie, with 3,243 to Fred Clarke's 2,678.