Roberto Clemente vs Andre Dawson: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente and Andre Dawson are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 as a hitter; Andre Dawson played 1976–1996 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
Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Andre Dawson (1976–1996) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Andre Dawson finished with 2,774 hits and 438 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Andre Dawson, with 438 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Andre Dawson's 2,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Andre Dawson, with 1,591 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Andre Dawson's 20,948.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Andre Dawson's 0.
Roberto Clemente
Andre Dawson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Andre Dawson. 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, and the 1950s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Andre Dawson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,433 | Leads: 2,627 |
| At-Bats | 9,454 | Leads: 9,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 1,373 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,774 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 503 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 98 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 438 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,591 |
| Walks | Leads: 621 | 589 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,509 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 314 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .323 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .482 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .806 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente outpaces Andre Dawson 34,131 to 20,948 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 998 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Andre Dawson's 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).
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Andre Dawson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, runs, batting average, and OBP, while Andre Dawson owns home runs, RBI, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roberto Clemente. PIV agrees: Roberto Clemente grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roberto Clemente and Andre Dawson careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Roberto Clemente's ended in 1972, and Andre Dawson debuted in 1976. The two careers are close in length, 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente and 2,627 for Andre Dawson across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621); Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589). Andre Dawson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 438 of 2,774 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Andre Dawson stole more often per game played (83 steals in 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente, 314 in 2,627 for Andre Dawson).
Roberto Clemente vs Andre Dawson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Roberto Clemente or Andre Dawson hit more home runs?
- Andre Dawson, with 438 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Andre Dawson's 2,774.