Roberto Clemente vs Gil Hodges: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Gil Hodges played 1943–1963 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 Gil Hodges (1943–1963) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Gil Hodges finished with 1,921 hits and 370 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Gil Hodges, with 370 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gil Hodges, with .846 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Gil Hodges's .273.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Gil Hodges's 1,921.
- Who drove in more runs? Roberto Clemente, with 1,305 to Gil Hodges's 1,274.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Gil Hodges's 24,928.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Roberto Clemente
Gil Hodges
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Gil Hodges. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Gil Hodges |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,433 | 2,071 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 7,030 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 1,105 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 1,921 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 295 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 48 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 370 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,305 | 1,274 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 943 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,137 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 63 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .359 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .487 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .846 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente outpaces Gil Hodges 34,131 to 24,928 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 1,385 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Gil Hodges's 18. 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
Gil Hodges — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Gil Hodges owns home runs and OPS. 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 Gil Hodges careers compare
Roberto Clemente and Gil Hodges were active at the same time between 1955 and 1963. With 2,433 games against 2,071 across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Gil Hodges are home runs (370 to 240), walks (943 to 621), and slugging percentage (.487 to .475). Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621); Gil Hodges struck out more than walked (1,137 to 943). Gil Hodges is the more power-leaning hitter, with 370 of 1,921 hits leaving the park. Gil Hodges's slugging percentage of .487 tops Roberto Clemente's .475.
Roberto Clemente vs Gil Hodges: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Gil Hodges?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Gil Hodges in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Gil Hodges hit more home runs?
- Gil Hodges, with 370 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gil Hodges, with .846 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Gil Hodges's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Gil Hodges's 1,921.