Roberto Clemente vs Frank Howard: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 as a hitter; Frank Howard played 1958–1973 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 Frank Howard (1958–1973) — both debuted in the 1950s. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Frank Howard finished with 1,774 hits and 382 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Roberto Clemente, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Howard, with 382 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Howard, with .851 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Frank Howard's 1,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Roberto Clemente, with 1,305 to Frank Howard's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Frank Howard's 30,024.
Roberto Clemente
Frank Howard
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Frank Howard. 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 | Roberto Clemente | Frank Howard |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,433 | 1,895 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,454 | 6,488 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 864 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 1,774 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 245 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 35 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,305 | 1,119 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 782 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,460 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 8 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .352 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .499 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .851 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente leads Frank Howard 34,131 to 30,024 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,896 PIV per season to 1,876, across 18 seasons to 16. 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).
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Frank Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Roberto Clemente leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Frank Howard leads 4: home runs, walks, slugging percentage, and OPS. 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 Frank Howard careers compare
From 1958 through 1972, Roberto Clemente and Frank Howard were in the majors together. With 2,433 games against 1,895 across 18 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Frank Howard's edges on the table are home runs (382 to 240), walks (782 to 621), and slugging percentage (.499 to .475). At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), and Frank Howard struck out more than walked (1,460 to 782). Frank Howard is the more power-leaning hitter, with 382 of 1,774 hits leaving the park. Frank Howard's slugging percentage of .499 tops Roberto Clemente's .475.
Roberto Clemente vs Frank Howard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Frank Howard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Frank Howard in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Frank Howard hit more home runs?
- Frank Howard, with 382 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Howard, with .851 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Frank Howard's 1,774.