Fred Clarke vs Tris Speaker: Career Stats Comparison
Tris Speaker has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Tris Speaker played 1907–1928 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 Tris Speaker (1907–1928) — they debuted in the 1890s and the 1900s respectively and share 9 seasons. Fred Clarke finished with 2,678 hits and 67 home runs; Tris Speaker finished with 3,514 hits and 117 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Tris Speaker, in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Tris Speaker, with 117 to Fred Clarke's 67.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tris Speaker, with .928 to Fred Clarke's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tris Speaker, with .345 to Fred Clarke's .312.
- Who had more hits? Tris Speaker, with 3,514 to Fred Clarke's 2,678.
- Who drove in more runs? Tris Speaker, with 1,529 to Fred Clarke's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Tris Speaker, with 73,242 career PIV to Fred Clarke's 34,764.
Fred Clarke
Tris Speaker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Clarke and Tris Speaker. 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 | Tris Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,246 | 2,789 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,584 | 10,195 |
| Runs | 1,622 | Leads: 1,882 |
| Hits | 2,678 | Leads: 3,514 |
| Doubles | 361 | Leads: 792 |
| Triples | 220 | Leads: 222 |
| Home Runs | 67 | Leads: 117 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,529 |
| Walks | 875 | Leads: 1,381 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 511 | 393 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 509 | 432 |
| Batting Avg | .312 | Leads: .345 |
| On-Base % | .386 | Leads: .428 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .500 |
| OPS | .814 | Leads: .928 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tris Speaker outpaces Fred Clarke 73,242 to 34,764 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,329 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.
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
Tris Speaker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Tris Speaker leads 11 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Fred Clarke leads 1: stolen bases. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tris Speaker. PIV agrees: Tris Speaker 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 Tris Speaker careers compare
From 1907 through 1915, Fred Clarke and Tris Speaker were in the majors together. With 2,246 games against 2,789 across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Fred Clarke comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (509 to 432). At the plate, Fred Clarke walked more often than struck out (875 walks, 511 strikeouts), and Tris Speaker walked more often than struck out (1,381 walks, 393 strikeouts). Tris Speaker is the more power-leaning hitter, with 117 of 3,514 hits leaving the park. Fred Clarke was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Fred Clarke vs Tris Speaker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Clarke or Tris Speaker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tris Speaker leads Fred Clarke in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Fred Clarke or Tris Speaker hit more home runs?
- Tris Speaker, with 117 to Fred Clarke's 67.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tris Speaker, with .928 to Fred Clarke's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tris Speaker, with .345 to Fred Clarke's .312.
- Who had more hits?
- Tris Speaker, with 3,514 to Fred Clarke's 2,678.