Roberto Clemente vs George Foster: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 as a hitter; George Foster played 1969–1986 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 George Foster (1969–1986) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; George Foster finished with 1,925 hits and 348 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? George Foster, with 348 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to George Foster's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to George Foster's .274.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to George Foster's 1,925.
- Who drove in more runs? Roberto Clemente, with 1,305 to George Foster's 1,239.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to George Foster's 20,637.
- Who won more championships? George Foster, with 3 World Series titles to Roberto Clemente's 2.
Roberto Clemente
George Foster
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and George Foster. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | George Foster |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,433 | 1,977 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 7,023 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 986 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 1,925 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 307 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 348 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,305 | 1,239 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 666 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,419 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 51 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .274 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .338 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .480 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .818 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente outpaces George Foster 34,131 to 20,637 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 1,032 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to George Foster's 20. 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
George Foster — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while George Foster owns home runs. 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 George Foster careers compare
From 1969 through 1972, Roberto Clemente and George Foster were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente and 1,977 for George Foster across 18 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for George Foster are home runs (348 to 240), walks (666 to 621), and slugging percentage (.480 to .475). Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621); George Foster struck out more than walked (1,419 to 666). Home runs make up a larger share of George Foster's hits: 240 of 3,000 for Roberto Clemente, 348 of 1,925 for George Foster.
Roberto Clemente vs George Foster: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or George Foster?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads George Foster in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or George Foster hit more home runs?
- George Foster, with 348 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to George Foster's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to George Foster's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to George Foster's 1,925.