Roberto Clemente vs Reggie Jackson: Career Stats Comparison
Reggie Jackson 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; Reggie Jackson played 1967–1987 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 Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 6 seasons. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Reggie Jackson, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.
- Who drove in more runs? Reggie Jackson, with 1,702 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Reggie Jackson, with 41,801 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
Roberto Clemente
Reggie Jackson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Reggie Jackson. 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 | Reggie Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,433 | 2,820 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,454 | 9,864 |
| Runs | 1,416 | Leads: 1,551 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,584 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 463 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 49 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 563 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,702 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 1,375 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 2,597 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 228 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .262 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .356 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .490 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .846 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Reggie Jackson leads Roberto Clemente 41,801 to 34,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,991 PIV per season to 1,896, across 21 seasons to 18. 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
Reggie Jackson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Reggie Jackson leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, doubles, home runs, RBI, and others. Roberto Clemente leads 4: hits, triples, batting average, and on-base percentage. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Reggie Jackson. PIV agrees: Reggie Jackson 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 Reggie Jackson careers compare
Roberto Clemente and Reggie Jackson were active at the same time between 1967 and 1972. With 2,433 games against 2,820 across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Roberto Clemente are hits (3,000 to 2,584), triples (166 to 49), and batting average (.317 to .262). At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), and Reggie Jackson struck out more than walked (2,597 to 1,375). Reggie Jackson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 563 of 2,584 hits leaving the park. Reggie Jackson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Roberto Clemente vs Reggie Jackson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Reggie Jackson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Reggie Jackson leads Roberto Clemente in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Reggie Jackson hit more home runs?
- Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.