Roberto Clemente vs George Kell: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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 Kell played 1943–1957 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 Kell (1943–1957) — 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; George Kell finished with 2,054 hits and 78 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Roberto Clemente, with 240 to George Kell's 78.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to George Kell's .781.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to George Kell's .306.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to George Kell's 2,054.
- Who drove in more runs? Roberto Clemente, with 1,305 to George Kell's 870.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to George Kell's 12,722.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to George Kell's 0.
Roberto Clemente
George Kell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and George Kell. 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 | George Kell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,433 | 1,795 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 6,702 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 881 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,054 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 385 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 50 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 240 | 78 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,305 | 870 |
| Walks | 621 | 621 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 287 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 51 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .306 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .367 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .414 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .781 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente outpaces George Kell 34,131 to 12,722 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 670 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to George Kell's 19. 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 Kell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while George Kell owns OBP. 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 Kell careers compare
From 1955 through 1957, Roberto Clemente and George Kell were in the majors together. With 2,433 games against 1,795 across 18 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where George Kell comes out ahead, it is in on-base percentage (.367 to .359). Plate discipline differs: Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), but George Kell walked more often than struck out (621 walks, 287 strikeouts). Roberto Clemente is the more power-leaning hitter, with 240 of 3,000 hits leaving the park.
Roberto Clemente vs George Kell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or George Kell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads George Kell in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or George Kell hit more home runs?
- Roberto Clemente, with 240 to George Kell's 78.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to George Kell's .781.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to George Kell's .306.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to George Kell's 2,054.