Fred Clarke vs Sam Thompson: Career Stats Comparison
Fred Clarke 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; Sam Thompson played 1885–1906 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 Thompson (1885–1906) — they debuted in the 1890s and the 1880s respectively and share 13 seasons. Fred Clarke finished with 2,678 hits and 67 home runs; Sam Thompson finished with 1,988 hits and 126 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 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Sam Thompson, with 126 to Fred Clarke's 67.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sam Thompson, with .890 to Fred Clarke's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Sam Thompson, with .331 to Fred Clarke's .312.
- Who had more hits? Fred Clarke, with 2,678 to Sam Thompson's 1,988.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Thompson, with 1,308 to Fred Clarke's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Clarke, with 34,764 career PIV to Sam Thompson's 29,910.
Fred Clarke
Sam Thompson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Clarke and Sam Thompson. 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 Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,246 | 1,410 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,584 | 5,998 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,261 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,678 | 1,988 |
| Doubles | Leads: 361 | 343 |
| Triples | Leads: 220 | 161 |
| Home Runs | 67 | Leads: 126 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,308 |
| Walks | Leads: 875 | 452 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 511 | 234 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 509 | 232 |
| Batting Avg | .312 | Leads: .331 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .384 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .814 | Leads: .890 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Clarke leads Sam Thompson 34,764 to 29,910 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Fred Clarke played 21 seasons to Sam Thompson's 15, while Sam Thompson carries the higher per-season figure (1,994 to 1,655). 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 Thompson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Fred Clarke leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Sam Thompson leads 5: home runs, RBI, batting average, slugging percentage, and others. 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 Sam Thompson careers compare
From 1894 through 1906, Fred Clarke and Sam Thompson were in the majors together. The table compares 2,246 games of Fred Clarke with 1,410 of Sam Thompson across 21 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. At the plate, Fred Clarke walked more often than struck out (875 walks, 511 strikeouts), and Sam Thompson walked more often than struck out (452 walks, 234 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Sam Thompson's hits: 67 of 2,678 for Fred Clarke, 126 of 1,988 for Sam Thompson.
Fred Clarke vs Sam Thompson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Clarke or Sam Thompson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred Clarke leads Sam Thompson in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Fred Clarke or Sam Thompson hit more home runs?
- Sam Thompson, with 126 to Fred Clarke's 67.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sam Thompson, with .890 to Fred Clarke's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Sam Thompson, with .331 to Fred Clarke's .312.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred Clarke, with 2,678 to Sam Thompson's 1,988.