Fred Clarke vs Zack Wheat: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Wheat 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; Zack Wheat played 1909–1927 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 Zack Wheat (1909–1927) — they debuted in the 1890s and the 1900s respectively and share 7 seasons. Fred Clarke finished with 2,678 hits and 67 home runs; Zack Wheat finished with 2,884 hits and 132 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Zack Wheat, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Zack Wheat, with 132 to Fred Clarke's 67.
- Who had the higher OPS? Zack Wheat, with .817 to Fred Clarke's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Zack Wheat, with .317 to Fred Clarke's .312.
- Who had more hits? Zack Wheat, with 2,884 to Fred Clarke's 2,678.
- Who drove in more runs? Zack Wheat, with 1,248 to Fred Clarke's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Clarke, with 34,764 career PIV to Zack Wheat's 30,370.
Fred Clarke
Zack Wheat
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Clarke and Zack Wheat. 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 | Zack Wheat |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,246 | 2,410 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,584 | 9,106 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,289 |
| Hits | 2,678 | Leads: 2,884 |
| Doubles | 361 | Leads: 476 |
| Triples | Leads: 220 | 172 |
| Home Runs | 67 | Leads: 132 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,248 |
| Walks | Leads: 875 | 650 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 511 | 572 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 509 | 205 |
| Batting Avg | .312 | Leads: .317 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .367 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .450 |
| OPS | .814 | Leads: .817 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Clarke leads Zack Wheat 34,764 to 30,370 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,655 PIV per season to 1,598, 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
Zack Wheat — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Zack Wheat leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, and others. Fred Clarke leads 5: runs, triples, walks, stolen bases, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Wheat. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Fred Clarke higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fred Clarke and Zack Wheat careers compare
Fred Clarke and Zack Wheat were active at the same time between 1909 and 1915. With 2,246 games against 2,410 across 21 and 19 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 Zack Wheat walked more often than struck out (650 walks, 572 strikeouts). Zack Wheat is the more power-leaning hitter, with 132 of 2,884 hits leaving the park. Fred Clarke was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Zack Wheat's slugging percentage of .450 tops Fred Clarke's .429.
Fred Clarke vs Zack Wheat: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Clarke or Zack Wheat?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Wheat leads Fred Clarke in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Fred Clarke or Zack Wheat hit more home runs?
- Zack Wheat, with 132 to Fred Clarke's 67.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Zack Wheat, with .817 to Fred Clarke's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Zack Wheat, with .317 to Fred Clarke's .312.
- Who had more hits?
- Zack Wheat, with 2,884 to Fred Clarke's 2,678.